


The Beast Within

by ashethehedgehog



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Beast Powers, Fantasy, M/M, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-07-17 22:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 79,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7288942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashethehedgehog/pseuds/ashethehedgehog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The land had always been split into two kingdoms at war with each other. In this realm full of beasts- powers that humans could summon to take on the shape and form of a creature to fight with- those with their power awakened were considered the strongest.<br/>And all Yugi wanted to be was a knight, to escape his boring palace life. That was, until everything changed. After ending up on the wrong end of a kidnapping, and meeting a strange man wielding their beast, Yugi begins to question everything he thought he knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The perfect start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> October 2017 edit: Hey wow time flies, been a while since I wrote this. I've improved a lot since these early days of multi chapter writing, but have decided to leave these old works up as an archive, to keep to show myself my improvement over time, but also because it would be pretty sucky to delete it if people enjoyed the fic. So if you're reading this post my edit, it's an old work, as a fair warning. It's choppy at times, but it's still a finished thing, and I'm proud I stuck through and completed it. Hope you enjoy The Beast Within!

  
A soft breeze rustled the air, causing the trees in the courtyard to sway their branches full of spring leaves. Standing on a balcony overlooking the area stood a young man, his hair tussling in the gentle wind, enjoying the feel of the breeze on his face. From his vantage point he could see just about all of the palace grounds, from the courtyard to the barracks and stables. The boy was wide eyed, full of youth that spoke of inexperience, but there was still a fire burning behind those irises. The gentle smile he wore on his face gave him the appearance of kindness, as well as the way he leaned over the balcony with a hand cupping his chin.

He watched the men out in the courtyard as they set about their business, some tending to the horses in the stables while others practiced drills under the watchful gaze of a mentor. The man sighed, wishing he could be down there joining the other apprentices as they endured the trials to becoming something better, something worthy if a title. In this day and time, titles and status meant everything. If he only could prove his worth, the boy could be training to become a knight, something he had desperately wanted to be as a child. But it was never meant to be, as he had discovered on his sixteenth birthday. He was to remain in the palace, nothing more than a pretty object to be bartered with if need be, having to retain his petite form to have a better chance appealing to possible leaders (he tried not to think too hard at the implications of that). He hated how the King thought he was only a chip in the game, and therefore only worth keeping around for the sake of a bargaining card.

And so, he had to retain the air of ‘ _innocence’_ about him, even as he felt despondent about the whole situation. So many things others were given as birthrights had been stripped from him the moment he realised he would never be able to pursue a normal career. Instead he was forced to spend his days tucked away in the palace, having lessons on royalty and proper behaviour.

The young man shook his head, heaving another exaggerated sigh out. He didn't understand why he was forced to uphold the profile of a royal while there was a war raging on over the border. It seemed that to everyone in the palace the war was nothing more than a far off news event. Something that was brought up in only the most hushed or bored conversations. Every time the man questioned one of his advisers, they would avoid the question like it was wildfire. He didn't understand why they tried to keep the knowledge of war away from them- everyone knew about the war on the border, but no one seemed to actually care about it. It was one of the many things that chewed on the boy’s conscious throughout the long days. He had seen way too many squadrons of soldiers march out of the palace gates only to never return. 

A sudden squeaking of door hinges opening brought the boy’s attention back to his body, and he turned to see the doors to his chamber- more accurately described as his occasional prison grounds- open wide, pairs of feet shuffling inside to give him half bows as appointed by his status. 

"Master Yugi, his majesty's adviser, Lord Yami, bids you join him for the midday meal." One of the sets of feet said, and the young man- Yugi- rolled his eyes, studying the servants for a moment.

"And if I should refuse? I am quite under the weather today, and should be spending the day resting in my chambers." Yugi spoke softly, with all the air of a regal about him. This seemed to throw off the servants, as Yugi hoped it would, as they began to stutter, unsure of how to react to this unexpected upset. Yugi rolled his eyes again at the man’s blubbering, giving an exaggerated huff in an effort to keep up his act. 

"B-B-But your lordship, milord has requested your presence, and he was quite adamant that you attend. If you would kindly follow us..."

Yugi felt like the only thing he had done all morning besides stare out over the balcony was roll his eyes at annoying servants. Why could they never leave him alone? It wasn't like he wanted to refuse Yami's invitation- the two were good friends and Yugi felt like he was one of the few people whom he could trust in this court of deceit. He was just sick of being told what to do by everyone all the time.

Yugi glided past the servants, the one who had done all the speaking squeaking slightly as the royal left the chambers, exiting into the hallway. Yugi didn't check to see if they were following him, he knew they would be. They had to make sure that they saw their orders through, after all.

He turned through the many twisting corridors, knowing exactly the path to take to get to Yami's quarters. By the time he had reached the doors outside, he had almost lost the two servants through the maze of hallways.

 _What a shame,_ Yugi thought as the two came puffing up behind him _. I was almost out scot free._  
The talkative servant eyed Yugi ruefully when he thought Yugi couldn't see it- even if he could clear as day- and pushed open the doors, entering to announce Yugi's presence to the Lord no doubt waiting inside. After a moment Yugi followed him inside, taking note of the extravagant furnishing that draped the room. 

A desk framed the main section of the chambers, the wooden structure standing strong and unwavering even with the amount of content on its surface. A large wardrobe was pushed off to the side, no doubt filled with garments and objects sitting in storage. Several doors lined the sides of the room, leading off to other more secluded rooms, probably a bedroom and dressing area. He had never really been to any of the other rooms, brushing them off as Yami’s more personal spaces. He knew this study area well, having been here many times over the years he had spent in the palace. Yami was, as he usually was, sitting behind the desk, his head bent over sheets of paper.  

A warm smile crossed along Yami's face as his gaze reached up to Yugi, and the young man couldn't help but smile back. His mood always seemed to brighten when it came to the other, there was something in the way that Yami spoke and acted that was different to the other nobles in the palace. Yami seemed content with his life, and nothing seemed to trouble him, despite the power his position demanded of him. He outstretched a hand to Yugi, beckoning him closer.

"Yugi, how pleasant of you to be able to make it." Yami said, the smile on his face brightening as Yugi accepted his offered hand. Yami brought the hand to his face and kissed it lightly, and Yugi could feel a flush creep up his neck at the others actions. Had it been anyone else, he would have been creeped out or enraged by the gesture, but with Yami the action meant something different. The two were long-time friends, and Yami had always done this to him for as long as he could remember, holding his hand gently as if scared to crush it. 

"Charmed, I'm sure." Yugi said with a mocking voice too sweet to be truthful. Yami immediately picked up on his tone, and eyed the servants. "You may leave, Charles, Spencer." Yami flicked his wrist and the two servants scattered out of the room, leaving the two nobles alone. 

"Yugi, it's good to see you again." Yami said, grasping Yugi's hand more tightly, as if he would scare the boy away. Yugi just smiled, more than well aware of the others strange habits. He knew that Yami thought highly of him, and for some reasons he took it upon himself to be Yugi's self-appointed guardian. It annoyed Yugi that he was considered ‘weak’ enough to need protection, but it also meant that Yami helped fend off the other aristocrats for him, and for that Yugi would allow Yami to do what he wanted.

"Please, it was just the other day we had a lesson,” He rolled his eyes playfully. “So, you wanted to see me, _Lord_ Yami?" He started off, moving to lean slightly on the broad oak desk. He noted the way Yami twitched at this, but if he was annoyed he didn't say as much, instead opting to return to the chair behind the desk. He fiddled with the paperwork scattered on the surface before speaking.

"Of course, _Master_ Yugi. I would like for you to join me for the midday meal, if it’s not too much trouble." Yami added playfully at the end, brightening the mood with a sincere smile.

Yugi rolled his eyes in good humour, adding, "Well, I would just hate to disappoint, _milord_. Where shall we be dinning this fair day?" 

"If my _noble_ Yugi would look _elegantly_ to his right, he might catch sight of my chambers balcony, already set upon it our dinning selection for this midday meal." Yami gestured out of the study to a door on Yugi's right. As he said, there was indeed a table set up with an array of food on it over the far side of the chamber. 

"Sounds absolutely delightful." Yugi said, clasping his hands together. Yami's smile twitched a little, and soon the two had burst out in a fit of combined laughter. 

"Okay, okay," Yugi wheezed after a moment. "You win, Yami, you win." 

“As always." Yami smirked. "Did you really think you were going to win, though, Yugi?" 

Yugi pouted at him, shaking his head. "No, I guess not. After all, nobody can beat the self-proclaimed King of Games." Yami straighten up, buffing his chest out at the comment. 

"Ahem, I'll have you know that I truly am the king of games. Face me in anything, be it physical or mental, and I will emerge victorious!" Yami said with a sharp bow.

Yugi chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, whatever you say, o mighty king." 

"Better start calling me 'your highness' then, Yugi." 

"Whatever you say, your majesty," Yugi have him a mock half bow. "Can we go eat now, please? I'm actually starving."

"Good thing I have everything already prepared, then." Yami smirked, and Yugi rolled his eyes. For as long as he could remember, Yami had been his best friend. And while they had their different roles in the court, Yugi found that he could always rely on Yami to keep him sane. The two would constantly joke about things light-heartedly, and Yugi found that he could be himself around the other. 

They moved out into the balcony, sitting down in chairs opposite each other. Yugi took the time to admire the array of food Yami's servants had laid out. 

There was a wide selection of cakes and sweets, with several different types of fruit littered in amongst the biscuits and confectionary. As always, Yami had the perfect balance of savoury and sweet.

"This all looks so nice, Yami. I don't know where to start." Yugi said, reaching for one thing only to stop and change his mind. 

"Then allow me." Yami said, getting out if his chair and moving to Yugi's side. Yugi felt his breath catch as Yami brushed his hand against his shoulder. He reached forward to pick up a plate filled with slices of cake, and offered it to Yugi.

"These are made from a variety of fruit grown here in the castle gardens. They’re fruit cakes. I trust you will find it to your liking."

"T-thank you." Yugi felt his face redden, and ducked his head, hoping his bangs would hide the flush. Yami just chuckled, moving back around the table to take his place in his chair once more. 

"So, tell me Yugi, what do you have planned for today? More lessons?" Yami inquired, plucking a grape off of a plate near him and popping it into his mouth. 

"Unfortunately so. I swear I'm the only one around here who has to spend all day indoors." Yugi sighed, picking one of the slices of cake off the plate at random and taking a bite. It tasted overly sweet and was jam packed with icing, both on the outside and inside, despite the fruit also in it. He made a face at the syrupiness and put the slice back on the plate, opting to glance over the other options instead.

“Not your flavour?” Yami asked softly, and Yugi jumped a little, realising that Yami had been staring at him the whole time.

“No! I mean, it is, but- it’s fine. I just, there’s a little too much sugar for my liking.” Yugi offered a smile, picking up a fork and prodding one of the other cake slices.

“I see, well I’m sorry that it’s not to your liking. I was sure I told Charles to make sure the cooks made only the best. It seems someone along the chain was sloppy with their work.” Yami commented, the twitch of a frown spreading across his face.

“Don’t be too upset Yami, I’m still enjoying it.” Yugi spoke, putting his fork down in favour of fiddling with the hem of his clothes instead.

Well, regardless,” Yami said, changing the flow of conversation. “I’m sure your teachers are only looking out for your best interests. Just think of how knowledgeable you’ll be when you’re done with your lessons.”

“ _If_ I’m ever done,” Yugi said, stressing the ‘if’ with hand quotation marks. “And besides, my teachers are all so boring, droning on and _on_ about the most useless things. I mean, when am I ever going to need to know about the history of grain sales throughout the kingdom?”

“Come on. I’m sure not _all_ of your teachers are that bad.” Yami smiled.

“Of course I don’t mean _you_ , Yami.”

“I should think not, I work hard to make your lessons as enjoyable for you as possible. And let me tell you, you’re not the only one who has to deal with the stuck up royals prattling on about god knows what. I really shouldn’t be saying this, but I’m sure I can trust you not to tell on me to the High King, no?”

Yugi was too preoccupied watching Yami’s hands make quick work of the bowl of grapes in front of him, so instead he just nodded feverishly. “Yeah! Of course! I don’t tell anyone of your secret pent up rants, and you ‘forget’ where I am when people come looking for me for a lesson every now and then.” Yugi smirked, noticing some fruit scattered in amongst the sweets, diving for a ripe looking pear and sinking his teeth into its flesh. Most of the other rich folk in the palace despised the texture and taste of the fruit, but Yugi found he loved it, another thing he shared in common with the Lord currently sitting across from him.

“Sounds like a fair trade. I do enjoy our little talks, Yugi. It seems like you’re the only other person in this castle who doesn’t play the dangerous game of tiptoeing around for the king’s favour.” Yami sighed, reaching for an apple when he realised the grapes had been finished off.

“How is that going, by the way? Any outrageous gossip happening recently?”

“You know I can’t talk about such things with you, Yugi. They are matters for the king’s ears only, lest nasty rumours spread and grow to unmanageable size.”

“I find it hard for the Great Lord Yami to have something he can’t manage.” Yugi teased.

“That’s because I crush any signs of such things happening before they can get out of hand. I am very good at my job, hence why I’ve been doing it for fifteen years so far without fail.” Yami said smoothly, disposing of his apple core before bringing his attention back to Yugi.

Yugi wouldn’t meet his gaze, however, and just stared down at the piece of fruit in his hand- his mind wondering towards other topics.

“Something on your mind?” Yami’s voice carried over, Yugi’s eyes looking up to lock gazes with Yami’s. His expression demanded an answer, but betrayed the concern locked beneath the surface.

“…Yeah, it’s just… The usual.”

“The usual? That’s quite a broad range. Be it your palace life? Lessons? Teachers? People giving you a hard time? Or perhaps—“

“No, none of that,” Yugi interrupted, shaking his head. “I’m just thinking about, well, beasts, you know?”

“Ah, I see… _That_ kind of usual.”

“I don’t suppose you happened to have tapped into yours since I saw you last?” Yugi joked, laughing without humour.

“Unfortunately not, I’m afraid.”

“Do you ever wonder about yours?”

“Of course. Sometimes I cannot help but wonder of the power hidden inside, especially when I see what those who have awoken possess.”

“I wish I knew what mine was, or if I even _have_ one.”

Yami narrowed his eyes in what Yugi assumed with surprise- it was hard to tell emotions with Yami- saying, “Of course you do, Yugi. And one day, that power will awaken inside you. Think about it this way, some people go through life having their beast power since a young age, strutting around with that power, and showing it off. However, they fail to develop the proper skills needed to master this power. Perhaps it’s for the best we don’t possess our beasts yet- we spend this time honing our skills until the day comes when that power comes to us. It will make us stronger later in life, trust me Yugi. Good things come to those who wait.”

“I guess you’re right,” Yugi admitted, then he laughed. “Wow Yami, didn’t know you could pull off the motivational speaker role. You fit it well.”

Yami smirked, his gaze sweeping over Yugi. “King of Games, remember? I possess many skills. You see? I don’t even need my beast to excel in life.”

“Of course.” Yugi laughed.

With that searing crimson gaze once again on Yugi, he found that he couldn’t stop squirming and fidgeting in his seat. It felt like he was on the wrong size of an interrogation table, and Yami was the professional interrogator weaving his spell over Yugi, reading him like an open book.

“Listen, I er, should probably go now…” Yugi stammered, rising to get out of his chair. He hated how uneven his voice came out when he spoke. He was supposed to be strong and confident, not sound like some teenage boy with a silly crush. There was no way he was that unprofessional, he and Yami were just friends, and he wanted to keep it that way, considering he already had his suspicions about how the other felt about him, and he didn’t want to provide fuel for that fire. _Even though I do, really, with how stupid I must sound around him,_ Yugi though miserably.

“Of course. Places to be, lessons to avoid, I’m sure,” Yami spoke softly, mimicking Yugi’s movements as he rose out of his chair to escort Yugi out of his chambers. “Just be sure to arrive for my lesson tomorrow. I promise you’ll enjoy what I have planned for you.” With those words said, Yugi left, waving goodbye before he strode off down the endless corridors of the palace.

* * *

 

Yami watched the other leave, his sharp eyes taking in every feature before he was forced to look away as the space became empty. So, the younger man had been thinking about beasts again? He had no doubt that given the chance, Yugi could tame a powerful creature. He was sure that whatever power Yugi was hiding, it was strong. Maybe even stronger than Yami’s- he didn’t like to think on it for too long. He had spent maybe years trying to awaken his beast, but with no such luck. He was beginning to think the only way he would ever see it appear in his life time would be to experience something traumatic- and he wasn’t about to go destroy his life on the off chance his beast might awaken from it.

But Yugi was a different matter entirely. He wasn’t sure why he showed such a vivid interest in Yugi, nor why he felt like snakes coiled in his stomach every time he was around the boy. It was even worse when they touched, a light brush of his hand against Yugi’s arm was enough to cause his breath to hitch. He didn’t like what it was doing to him, he felt like it was a form of weakness, something that held power over him. He had spent the last fifteen years building up his solid walls, and not once had anyone managed to break through them. But now these- these _feelings_ \- Yugi was evoking were starting to corrode the perfect defence he had made against showing weakness. If he let even the smallest bit of emotion leak out from his walls, his competitors in the court were sure to notice, and they would find a way to use Yugi against him. He couldn’t risk having the boy as such a strong liability in his life, regardless of the attraction he felt for him.

When had this all started? Yami remembered a simpler time, when he was a young boy, and Yugi was even younger, when they would play and mess around just like any other kid. Yami even though he _smiled_ back then, and not just one of the masks he wore nowadays, an actual genuine _smile_. It was such a foreign concept to him now. He briefly wondered if this pull towards the other had begun during their younger years, somewhere between the games they played and the friendship they had shown. He knew Yugi still thought of him as his closest friend- he proved it time and again by humouring Yami’s requests and still maintaining an above average level of trust for him. Yami thought Yugi’s trusting nature towards him was a cause for concern- after all, he didn’t know everything about Yami, and a wiser man would be more cautious around someone who had fended off competition for his seat on the council for fifteen years straight. Then again, Yami wasn’t very inclined to inform Yugi of what he had done to achieve his position in the first place.

It was a dangerous game the court played, and Yami was flawless in his approach to it. From the beginning he knew what he had to do, and how to go about it. He had lost count of how many times he had been the fall of a council member, watching them splutter out some kind of excuse or explanation in the hopes of keeping their head connected to their body just a bit longer. But it always ended the same. He was the King of Games, after all- and he never lost. Just as he would work out what it was he felt for Yugi that was causing him so much turmoil. Yugi was just another game waiting to be conquered, and Yami wouldn’t stop until the victory was his.

* * *

 

Yugi turned down several of the palace’s wide hallways until he saw the familiar decor and symbols marked onto the door of his chambers. He knew that his room would be one of the first places they would look, but he didn’t care. He wanted to watch the trainee’s in the courtyard below some more before he was forced to attend another pointless lesson on some stupid subject he would never need to know in his life.

As soon as he entered, he dragged himself over to the balcony that overlooked the courtyard. He made himself comfortable in the chair he always had set up here, and rested his head in a cupped hand as he gazed down at the plaza below.

The majority of the apprentices from this morning had left, having completed their drills and practice and now moving on to more exciting aspects of their training. There were still some stable boys leading the horses in and out of the stables as they no doubt were still mucking the area out. _At least I don’t have to do that,_ Yugi thought with a smirk. Whenever he was caught sneaking away from his lessons, all he got was a stern warning and a waggling of a finger in his face before he would be let go.

Yugi briefly wondered if he could get away with sneaking down to the stables and taking a horse out for a spin. He had tried doing it before, and had gotten as far as the palace gate before he had been cornered by guards and forced to turn back. It wasn’t one of his most dignified moments, but still, he had strived since then to learn how to properly ride a horse, even going so far as to beg Yami during one  of their lessons to take him out, to which the older man refused on the account of getting them both into trouble. Since then, Yugi hadn’t been allowed to wander outside in the courtyard without supervision.

 He watched the stable boys for a moment longer before heading back inside his chambers’ room. Inside, he decided to change his clothes into something more comfortable. Not that the pants and shirt he was wearing now were comfy, but the pants’ material was too tight, built more for looks than for movement, and Yugi wanted to spend some more time strolling around the castle before he was forced back into ‘proper’ clothes to attend dinner with. Hopefully he could conduct some excuse that would allow him to eat alone in his room, instead of in the dining hall with all the council members and high-ups. Sure, Yami would be there, but the distance between their seating arrangements mean he couldn’t just talk to his friend all night. Yami always sat on the right side of the King, and Yugi’s space was reserved down the row some, still close to the King, but also far enough away that trying to start a conversation with his right hand man would have been awkward. So most nights Yugi just sat there quietly, trying hard to ignore the rowdy adults that occupied the hall.

He changed into a pair of loose fitting, dark brown pants, with a faded green tunic over the top of a light brown undershirt, thankful for the physical distraction from his thoughts. The earthy colours would hopefully blend in more with the creams of the palace walls, but not so much with the golden decorations that littered the various rooms and hallways. He would have to take his chances with what he had.

Sliding back out of his chambers, Yugi snuck through the hallways, taking the slightly longer route to the courtyard so as to avoid the palace servants and royals that used the more direct route corridors. After having done this for so long, Yugi was well aware of the many different paths that lead to places in the palace, and he was determined to use them to his advantage as much as possible.

After turning down another beige and cream corridor, exactly the same as the last one, Yugi saw the welcome light that promised an exit from a shadowed rooftop, and promptly ran out into the open surroundings of the courtyard. Deep in the back of his mind he knew he should probably have stuck to walking the hallways until dinner, judging by how low the sun was beginning to dip in the sky, but he couldn’t care less right now. The evening air was just as blissfully cool as the morning was, playfully tugging against his tunic, seeming to urge him further out into the open field. Yugi complied, practically hopping over to the stables nestled up next to the palace’s wall. He was sure the guards atop the structure had seen him, but there was little they could do besides yell down at him, and obviously it wasn’t worth the effort for no one shouted at Yugi as he pranced over.

Most of the stable boys had already retired for the day, and it was too early for any soldiers to return from evening patrols, so Yugi found he had the stables to himself. He walked inside, notably ignoring the overwhelming smell of horses that was present. It only made sense after all, since the stables were the place where the horses lived when they weren’t out riding. Yugi walked up to one, a chestnut with a short bushy mane and matching tail, and absently patted the side of its neck as he looked around. Out of the fifty odd stables that the palace boasted, twenty or so horses were missing, the equivalent of about two patrols worth of men. Yugi figured that meant that the evening east and west patrols were still out, well, patrolling. It wasn’t like the soldiers ever did anything else anyway. The thirty odd remaining horses had all been groomed and fed for the night, some still munching away happily on the last of their grain feed.

The one Yugi had been patting neighed softly, pushing its neck against his hand, encouraging him to continue. Yugi was happy to oblige, streaking his hands through the horse’s mane and revelling in the softness. Whoever had been tasked with grooming the steeds today had done an amazing job at it- Yugi had to commend the mystery stable hand. The horse seemed equally happy, swinging its neck around almost as if to say ‘ _look at my shiny, glossy mane human!_ ’ Yugi was so lost in thought staring at the stable’s wooden structure that he failed to notice the entrance of another boy.

“Hey! You’re not supposed to be here!” A voice yelled, causing Yugi to yelp in surprise as he finally saw the intruder (or perhaps not, since he guessed _he_ was considered the intruder). The horse nickered in annoyance at being thrown out of its free second grooming session. The boy standing in front of him looked younger than Yugi- late teens, perhaps- and his whole posture screamed ‘stable boy,’ from his muck stained tunic to the messy crusted bits of Yugi didn’t want to know what on his boots. His hair was mostly unkempt, and his posture was slouched forward. Never in Yugi’s dreams would he imagine he would be able to get away with that kind of appearance. _Some people just don’t appreciate how simple their lives are, they all dream for the glamour, but don’t see the chains that come with it._

“I…Er…” Yugi stuttered, at a loss for words. He couldn’t make excuses to save his life.

“You’re Yugi Mutou, aren’t ya? The King has explicit orders that you’re not supposed to be down here in the stables without supervision.” The stable hand said, spitting a piece of saliva on the ground as if he didn’t care he was in the presence of a noble.

“Yes. I, er, know that, I was just-“

“He was just admiring the horses before we were headed back inside.” A deep familiar voice called out behind the two, and they both simultaneously turned towards the source of the voice.

Standing in the doorway to the stables was Yami, his hands clasped behind his back and a half annoyed, half bored look on his face. The look that Yugi liked to call his ‘natural look,’ since it seemed to be donned more often than any other expression. His sharp red eyes glanced over at Yugi, and he couldn’t help but flinch under their gaze. He was grateful Yami was here to bail him out, but he couldn’t help but think that a lecture was in store for him after all this.

“Uh, apologies, Lord Yami sir, I didn’t realise you were here…” The boy seemed to have realised his mistake, as he stammered out an excuse, to which Yami narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

“I don’t care for excuses, just get out of my sight. Yugi is with me, and therefore falls under the guidelines of his rules. Leave, now.”

Yugi was well aware that _they_ should really be the ones leaving, since it was the stable hands job to, well, work the stables. And the boy had probably just been waiting for the evening patrols to return, but it was known by everyone in the palace that you didn’t mess with the Right Hand of the King. Yugi had never seen Yami lose his temper- actually he thought it was impossible for the always cool, level headed advisor to ever lose his grip on a situation, but he had heard of what happened when people ticked him off. They said that they would rather be yelled at for days straight than deal with the cold gaze of Yami’s controlled emotions. Yugi just assumed they were exaggerating to make light of a possible whipping or trip to the dungeons. He didn’t really believe that Yami actually delved into the torture side of things- he was much too formal regarding his job. But then again, Yugi has also never been on the other end of the older man’s anger before- Yugi couldn’t remember a single time Yami had raised his voice to Yugi, nor done anything above a lecture or a light scolding. He guessed it has something to do with their lifelong friendship. Or perhaps, something more for the other.

“Yugi.” Yugi blinked, looking up to see Yami hadn’t moved from his position in the doorway, but was now burning his gaze into Yugi.

“Huh? Sorry, I uh, was day dreaming. Did you say something?” Yugi knew he was pushing it nodding off when Yami clearly seemed annoyed, but he didn’t think the older man would take it to heart- Yugi was always day dreaming.

“Nothing worth repeating,” Yami replied, cool as ever. “Come on, we’d best get you back to your chambers so you may change into appropriate formal wear.”

“And what’s wrong with what I’m wearing? I’m sure the King wouldn’t mind me dropping in wearing nothing but a pair of dirty pants and tunic, smelling like the stables.” Yugi grinned, laughing when he caught the pained expression on Yami’s face.

“You and I both know I would be the one having to cover up your little stunt, and I really don’t need to be explaining to the King why the already troublesomely infamous noble Yugi would wear such ‘earthly colours’ to such a grand event as a royal dinner.” Yami sounded bored, but Yugi could hear the undertone of sarcasm in his voice. It was very easy to miss, but years of practice had taught Yugi how to tell the difference between Yami being serious and Yami being sarcastic. Yugi had lost count how many times people had paled and sweated when Yami said something to them that Yugi knew was sarcastic, but everyone else believed to be true. He would never get tired of listening to people stuttered over it. It was one of his and Yami’s many little secrets they shared together.

“True true. You’ve got me there, o Might King of Games. I am at your mercy.” Yugi bowed mockingly, something people would have gasped at had anyone been around to witness such an action. Yami however merely shrugged it off, a smirk forming on his face.

“A position many would not favour being in, _little noble_.”  

“Oooh, picking on my short stature now, are we? Such a low blow from the King of Games. And here I was thinking you were the honourable type.”

“Only when the situation favours it, young one.”

“And now it’s about my age! I’m not that much younger than you, you know- three years is hardly a difference.”

“And yet I have six whole years’ worth of experience on you, Yugi, not to mention how long I have spent in the King’s service compared to your… _Lessons_.”

“Oh yeah? Well, if I was just allowed to take normal lessons with all the other apprentices, then I’d have more experience than you!”

“On what grounds?”

“I could beat you in a fight.”

“Truly? You believe so?” Yami sounded surprised at that, although Yugi could tell his tone was teasing.

Yugi rolled his eyes, biting his tongue to stop the next witty reply he had coming, already admitting defeat to the loosing argument- and he was on the wrong side, too. But that was always the case with Yami, he wasn’t lying when he said he was more experienced than Yugi. Every argument they had resulted in Yami’s triumphant victory, but only somewhat to Yugi’s dismay. He knew the points Yami often put forth were valid.

“Nothing else to say today, or are we done here? This place smells awful, and I’d rather not linger.” Yami’s mouth twitched downwards as his narrowed eyes travelled across the room, distaste clear in his gaze.

“Oh yeah, sorry, we can go.” Yugi muttered, following Yami out as the older man spun around on the spot and strode out. Even though Yami was only slightly taller than Yugi- he only had a few more centimetres, Yugi liked to think- his legs were longer, and so it took Yugi some effort to keep up with the other’s strides. It also didn’t help that he seemed to glide along the floor, and damn that man was just _too_ fast to be human.

After they left the stables and courtyard behind, and through the endless maze of corridors Yami came to a halt, Yugi realised they were standing in front of the door to his room.

“Thanks, for, you know…” Yugi mumbled, already aware of what Yami’s response would be.

“Don’t mention it.” Yami replied before dipping his head and swerving away back down the path. _Same as always,_ Yugi thought. He supposed he should be grateful to the advisor, however, seeing as how he did get him out of a potentially embarrassing situation.

Yugi headed inside to his chambers, quickly changing out of his casual wear and begrudgingly squeezing into the tight uncomfortable clothes that were his formal wear. Soon enough someone came by to ‘escort’ him to the dining room, as they would put it. But Yugi knew it was to make sure he wouldn’t skip out on the event as he had in the past.

It was only as Yugi was heading to dinner that he stopped to wonder how Yami had known he was at the stables, and why he had been down there in the first place.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes about this chapter and the next three- I wrote them all a super long time ago (actually, the first chapter was written exactly a year ago!), and even though I've gone through and edited them to be more consistent, they are still a little... Weird, I guess. Well to me they are, but then again I've been staring at this story for a while now, so everything is a little different to me ahaha. Plus I'm not that fond of writing set up- I much prefer to get into the action and plot, but alas we need set up for that to work //grumbles to self.  
> Well that's the introduction chapter done. It's not much yet, but hopefully it's an interesting set up. The next chapter is also a kind of 'set up,' but things are a bit more exciting I promise. Hope you liked it! :D


	2. Leaving the Nest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I thought I didn't have a title prepared for this chapter, but turns out that's next chapter. So I better get off my butt and think of one for that eheh. And by that I mean ignore and procrastinate till the day I have to submit it, and freak out and make up something on the spot. You know, the usual, ha!  
> Enjoy the chapter!~

 

That night Yugi dreamt of being a knight, his body completely covered in the rough shiny armour the knights of the land wore. A sword made of the finest steel rested at his side, ready at a moment’s notice for him to draw its sharp edge from the confides of the sheath. He was even sure he appeared taller in the armour, which was a bonus.

He strutted through the courtyard, all of the apprentices and stable hands stopping in their duties to gawk at his shining appearance. Yugi waved to them, shouldering past with a laugh as all eyes followed him. It felt good to be noticed, and for all the right reasons. He had just returned from a patrol, and had been ambushed by some bandits. His party had panicked, but not Yugi. Yugi had drawn his weapon and single-handedly taken down all of the bandits, which- in his dream-world- had been wanted criminals missing in action for months. Yugi was on his way to the palace throne room to collect his reward from the king, which was sure to be another medal of honour. Yugi tended to always get medals of honour in these kinds of dreams- not that he was complaining. He knew he was dreaming, but it was in these fleeting states that he got to experience what it was like to be a knight, and he clung to the memories even as he woke.

The throne room doors opened for him, and he strode in, not stopping until he reached the foot of the steps. The king that presented him his medal was always clouded in shadow, and never looked like the actual king that sat on the throne in the real world. His outline was all Yugi could see, and even then he couldn’t begin to work out who- or what- it was. All he knew was a deep voice, a hazy outline, and an aura so powerful even Yugi in all his dreamt knightly glory couldn’t fight the urge to bow before the might. But he was ok with it, seeing as how a knight’s duty was to his king and his people, and besides, it was just a dream, it wasn’t like he would get embarrassed by anything.

He knelt at the base of the stairs, his eyes scanning the floor as he waited for the king to descended and present him with his medal. As soon as he did, Yugi would wake, as he always did, and lament the memory of fighting bandits clad in armour and respect from all.

“Sir Yugi, you have done a great service to my land, and as such, shall be rewarded for your deeds.” The deep, commanding voice resonated throughout the vacant expanse of the hall. Yugi felt his head tilted up, surprised at the voice. It sounded slightly different from normal. It was… _Familiar_. It almost sounded like-

“Yami?” Yugi asked in disbelief. Sure enough, when he raised his head enough to see, the figure standing in front of him was the advisor.

“Who else?” Yami’s layered sarcasm responded. He was wearing silky crimson robes, the patterns laced in gold and black. His whole posture and appearance demanded for unconditional attention, and his usual half annoyed, half bored expression was plastered on his face.

“But… Why are you dressed like the king?” Yugi asked, baffled. Yami’s mouth twitched up into a smirk at that. “Well, the king must dress like one, should he not?”

“You? But, why are you the king? Usually I never see his face, why are you suddenly here today? What happened to the other guy?” Yugi fired his questions off. If Yami was fazed by them, however, he was damn good at hiding it, because his facial expression didn’t change one bit.

“I have always been the king, Yugi. It’s your dream, isn’t it? I’d have thought you’d had worked it out by now.” Yami’s tone was almost amused, and Yugi couldn’t help the flush of embarrassment that crept up his neck. Didn’t he just say before that he had no reason to ever be embarrassed in his own dreams?!? With Yami here, he was throwing Yugi’s dream order out of whack. He was messing everything up!

“Well, if it’s _my_ dream, then why are _you_ acting so high and mighty? Why aren’t _I_ king of my own dreams?”

“But you don’t want to be king, Yugi, do you?” Yami’s gaze swept over him as he spoke. “So instead, your mind placed someone else there, ergo, myself. We both know you’d rather be out there, prancing around in that suit of armour, fighting rebels and upholding the king’s justice.”

Yugi hated to admit it, but dream-king-Yami had a point. _Damn it, even in my dreams he wins every argument._

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re being such a jerk about it.” Yugi mumbled. Yami just shrugged.

“That’s how you perceive me. If I’m being a jerk, then that means you consider the real world me to be a jerk. Doesn’t sound rather pleasant from where I’m standing, but I can see the reasoning, I suppose.”

Yugi wanted to object, but the dream-Yami had continued speaking. “For a dream supposedly about you beating up bandits, you seem to be quite stuck on myself instead of your achievements. Should I be considering a hidden motive here?”

“Phft, you wish,” Yugi scoffed. “You’re just a variation from what I’m used to seeing, and you’ve thrown me off my dream pattern, that’s all.” The dream-Yami seemed to consider this for a moment before replying.

“So I’m correct in assuming you just want me to hand you this medal”- he held up the piece of curved metal in his hand- “so that you may wake up and continue on with your daily life you seem to enjoy so much?”

“Well… That’s not what I…” Yugi took a step back, at a loss for words. When had this become an interrogation into his personal life?

“Not what you want? Not what you need? Not what you meant?” Dream-Yami pressed, stepping forward to cover the ground Yugi had given up. “What _is_ it you want, Yugi? To be a knight? Respected and revered by all? But then you must ask yourself what being a knight truly means. Are you just content to pass through life, passively agreeing with everything everyone says?” Yugi began to back-track, his plated armour suddenly feeling ten times heavier. For every step Yugi took back, dream-Yami stepped forward, until Yugi could feel the unmoving force of the throne room’s wall against his back, and he knew he was trapped under that burning gaze he knew so well. This was turning into one weird and oddly intrusive dream. Yugi suddenly felt very defensive about this dream-Yami prodding into his personal affairs.

“What do _you_ know about my life? You’re just a figment of my imagination that happens to look like my childhood friend, who also happens to be strangely obsessed with me, so I don’t appreciate you butting into my personal life like that!”

Dream-Yami was silent, his advances halting. His expression was one of thoughtfulness. His eyes continued to bore into Yugi’s skull, and Yugi couldn’t help but squirm under the gaze. _Damn it, it’s_ my _dream! Why should I have to put up with this crap! Damn it, Yami, why did you have to invade my dream?!_

Yugi opened his mouth to continue his assault when dream-Yami spoke up instead. “The answer is in what you just said, Yugi.” Yugi looked at him, confused.

“What do you mean?”

“I _am_ just a figment of your imagination.”

“And?” Yugi was growing annoyed again. Dream-Yami looked equally annoyed with the look he flashed Yugi.

“And, that means everything I say and do is conducted through your mind. Are you following?”

Yugi tossed it around as he mulled it over. He nodded, allowing dream-Yami to continue. “Good. So, reason would stand that the things I am saying are all things you want me to say.”

Yugi was beginning to understand now. “So what you’re saying is that I want me to hear what you’re saying?” Yugi blinked, repeating the sentence in his mind to check if it made sense.

“In a way, I suppose, yes.”

“Huh.”

“Indeed.”

“So, what happens now…?”

Dream-Yami tilted his head to the side, considering. “It’s too early for this right now, you aren’t ready to listen to me yet,” Yugi scrunched his face up, ready to launch into another argument with the apparition. Dream-Yami, once again, however, beat him to it. “Would you like this medal?” He asked.

“Wait… What…? Wait a minute --!”

Before Yugi could protest, dream-Yami had pushed the medal into Yugi’s hand, and suddenly the world began to spin until all Yugi could see was darkness.

* * *

 

Yugi woke up panting heavily, a film of sweat covering his body. He wiped his forehead, trying to clear his thoughts. _What a weird dream, so unlike those I’m used to… Maybe it was something in the wine last night._ Yugi shook his head. He couldn’t think of a reason for someone to want to spike his drink, and if so, what would they gain from it? Yugi had nothing to give. _Maybe I just ate too much._

He ran his fingers through his tangled hair, taking a deep breath. _At least it’s over now._ He glanced out the open archway to his balcony, squinting to allow his eyes to adjust to the harsh light pouring in from the sun. When he realised what time it was, he groaned. He flipped out of bed, walking over to peer out the archway to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, the courtyard was already full of people going about their business, and the sun was already nearing the end of its climb upwards in the sky.

“It’s almost midday already? How long did I—“Suddenly Yugi’s eyes widened in realisation. “Oh _shit!_ I’m going to be late for Yami’s class today!” He dashed back into the room, racing over to his wardrobe and pulling out the first outfit he saw, quickly changing clothes before wrecking the door to his room open, practically sprinting down the corridors.

_Please don’t be out the front waiting please don’t be out the front waiting please don’t be out the front waiting._

Naturally, Yami was out the front of the hall Yugi conducted his studies in waiting for Yugi to arrive.

“Yugi,” he said when Yugi skidded to a halt close enough to hear him. “You’re late.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” Yugi puffed, taking huge gulps of air. “I overslept.”

“I see.” Were the only two words Yami said before walking away, not bothering to check behind him to see if Yugi was following. They both knew that he would.    

 After a painfully long silent trek down the corridor, they arrived at a wide open arch that led to the courtyard. Yugi couldn’t help the sly grin forming on his mouth as he asked, “So Yami, where are we off to for today’s lesson?”

“The courtyard, since you seem to be so desperately obsessed with this place.” Yami’s sarcastic voice replied.

“I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with the _courtyard_ , more like what goes on _in_ it.”

“Well, in that case, since you’re so desperately obsessed with what _happens_ in this place, we are here for today’s lesson.”

Yugi rolled his eyes at that. “And what, pray tell, is today’s lesson about, teacher?”

“Simple,” Yami stopped walking and motioned over to the barracks, where a handful of apprentices were already hard at work drilling out set moves. “We’re going to have a training session. Using wooden swords, mind you. Heaven forbid I be responsible for a bruise against the King’s most prized royal.” Yami muttered out the last part under his breath, and Yugi pretended he didn’t hear it. He was too excited at the prospect of doing some real drill training. He had been waiting his whole life to finally pick up a sword- even a wooden one was good enough right now.

“Truly? The King doesn’t care that we’re down here?” Yugi asked cautiously. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be engaging in this kind of behaviour, but that didn’t mean he was going to brush off Yami’s offer if it was truthful.

“What gives you the impression I ever say otherwise? I don’t get good at my job by lying about my advice,” Yami narrowed his eyes off to the side, huffing slightly. When he saw the confusion in Yugi’s eyes, he elaborated. “The answer is yes, it is truthful. I made up some excuse or other as to why we are here, not that it matters that much, since I’m the second most powerful man in this kingdom.”

“Not much modesty there, eh, Yami?” Yugi snickered.

“I have no need for such pleasantries. Now, do you want to pick up a sword today or what?”

“Yes! Of course I do! Oh, er I mean, ‘I would enjoy nothing more, teacher.’ Something like that, yeah?”

Yami rolled his still narrowed eyes, which looked weird to Yugi since they disappeared behind his eyelids part way, but somehow Yami could still pull it off as an annoyed gesture. “Well, let’s be at it, then.” He strode over to one of the people standing around the barracks watching the apprentices- a master of the sword, Yugi guessed. He didn’t look familiar, but then again Yugi didn’t get out enough to be able to memorise these people’s faces. Yami said something briskly to the man, who bowed low before moving off into the building before returning carrying two bundles of wood. Upon closer examination, Yugi found them to be two wooden sticks shaped in the form of swords, the pommel and everything carved out of the wood. Yami took the two sticks and tossed one at Yugi, who tried to catch it in one hand but failed, having to bring his other hand forward to avoid dropping in on the ground embarrassingly.  

They moved away from the others practicing on the grounds and found themselves a secluded area further around the barracks structure. When they were set up, Yami motioned Yugi forward. “Let’s start by testing your skills. You read up on swordcraft, right?”

Yugi nodded, circling around Yami momentarily before thrusting forward with the stick, tilting it in his hand to swerve the curve of the stick slightly. Yami dodge it easily, smacking his stick on top of Yugi’s, the force of the blow causing Yugi to drop his weapon.

“Technique isn’t bad, but you leave yourself wide open,” Yami commented, motioning to the stick on the ground. “Again.”

Yugi picked the blunt weapon up and began circling Yami again. He let his eyes trail over all the possible areas of attack, and his brain supplied him with the appropriate moves best suited for each section. He decided on a low thrust, and went to execute it, ducking and flicking his wrist to make the stick’s edge slice through the air. Usually, if it was the metal of a real sword, it would have sliced faster, but the wooden edge was slower, and Yami had plenty of time to parry and counter attack.

“It’s easier to read about swordplay than it is to execute it. Again.”

They continued on with this cycle for a while, Yugi working out his move, trying to execute it, Yami dodging it easily and then giving a piece of advice before the process repeated. Each time, however, Yami simply knocked Yugi’s wooden sword out of his hands, while Yugi knew that if he was like the other simple apprentices, he would have been landing on his ass with a smack to the head if he messed up. He knew that Yami couldn’t do that, though, otherwise he would most likely get into trouble, and Yugi didn’t want that for his friend, so he was content to the simple disarming technique, although the lessons weren’t setting in as well as Yugi thought they would with a head pounding, as strange as it sounds.

By the afternoon Yugi was exhausted, and ready to sleep and nurse his wounded pride for the next seven days. His hands were on his knees, gulping in air as he panted.

“We should stop now. You seem fatigued, and it appears noon is well behind us.” Yami commented, his eyes on the sky before he turned to look at Yugi.

“Y-Yeah, that’s enough. Thanks.” Yugi thought he expected an answer, so he wheezed it out. He knew sword fighting was a very physical activity, but he didn’t realise just how exhausting it could be.

Yami said nothing more, nodding instead as he took the two wooden swords back to the barracks before re-joining Yugi to make their way back into the palace. They walked side by side in silence most of the way, since Yugi was still breathing heavily, and Yami must have assumed it would be frustrating to talk for Yugi, so he said nothing. When they reached the engraved door that marked the entrance to Yugi’s chambers, Yami said his goodbyes and turned around to leave before Yugi stopped him.

“Yes?”

“Uh… I just wanted to say, thanks for today,” Yugi said. A smile crossing his face. “I owe you one for taking a bullet for me.”

“Don’t mention it. It was quite easy to pull off with my sway in the court,” Yami paused. He looked like he wanted to say more, or something else, but he shook his head lightly, instead saying “I’ll see you tonight for dinner, Yugi. Until then, farewell.”

“Uh right, see you later Yami.” Yugi waved him off, watching him disappear down the corridor that lead to his quarters. _I wonder what he wanted to say?_ He thought absently.

* * *

 

Yami strode into the throne room, promptly ignoring all the other members of the court chattering away in the corners. He gave the usual addresses to the King before taking up his position on the right side of the throne, calculating gaze spread out across the room. With his arrival came a few hushed whispers from the council, others shushing each other as the King began to speak.

“Well, let’s get started with today’s pressing matters. Advisor Yami, if you would speak first.”

Yami stepped forward, raising his voice so that it would reach everyone in the hall. “As you wish, my King. As we covered this morning, there have been several advances along the border from our enemies. One of our squadrons of soldiers positioned just outside a settlement to the western border yesterday fell under attack from an enemy patrol. We now have confirmation that the entire unit has fallen.”

Several disapproving sounds cried out, a few members of the court trying to talk all at once until the King silenced them. “Enough! Continue, Yami.”

Nodding, Yami gave the rest of the report. With the enemy taking steps over the border into their kingdom, it was only a matter of time until they grew more bold, heading deeper into the land. Yami reported several other skirmishes over the border, in sections that marked promising land to gain a foothold in the war, but as of yet only the one village had been attacked outright.

This war with the neighbouring kingdom had been going for several years now, and every few months the report was always the same, a village attacked here, some soldiers wiped off there, a supply line destroyed, all small minor things, never straying from the border. There had never been an all-out battle recorded in the history of the two kingdoms, and Yami would know if there was- he was well acquainted to the way this war was handled. In fact, it was one of the reasons Yami had had much success in his position; the King was an amateur when it came to the finer points of war, and he relied on Yami to construct most of the planning and course of action to take.

“Hmm they are getting bolder with their movements. How long must we sit here before we do something about it?” A council member called out. A few other members voiced their thoughts on the matter. Some motioned to strike back- a foot hold in their country was not what they wanted the enemy to have, and sending their message back with broken bodies sounded like the best course of action. Others suggested taking land from the opposing kingdom- an eye for an eye. No matter what the court thought, the overall decision was the same; fight back with all their might. It was obvious that this war wasn’t ending anytime soon.

After a few hours of Yami standing around getting leg cramps as the council threw ideas back and forth over the day’s news, the King dispersed the court for the evening, having no real course of action decided upon. Yami excused himself, briskly walking out of the throne room as fast as he could manage.

He retreated to his chambers before changing garments for dinner, which passed by rather quickly. He noticed Yugi seemed chirpier than usual, probably due to the sword fighting lesson Yami had given him this morning. Yami couldn’t help but smirk over that- none of the other tutors had that effect on Yugi. They couldn’t make him smile like Yami could, a fact Yami enjoyed greatly.

By the time he reached his chambers afterwards, the sun was nothing but a smudge on the horizon, the sky a dark hazy mix of blues and purples. The night had fallen, and Yami could feel a strong sense of uneasiness settling over the land, something he had been acute to since he had begun his role as the Right Hand of the King.

Something told Yami that something important was going to happen tonight. What it was, he didn’t know. A twitch of his hand, the itch to do something. He just hoped if it was something bad, that Yugi would remember to stay put, safe in his room.

 _But he probably won’t,_ Yami thought grimly. He settled down on a chair overlooking the balcony, his eyes scanning the forests and mountains outside of the palace walls. He could already tell tonight he wouldn’t be sleeping.

* * *

 

Sometime during the late night Yugi woke from his sleep. He couldn’t remember the dream he had just had, and his mind still felt foggy, but something was pricking at him subconsciously in worry. He rose into a sitting position on the bed, rubbing his face of the traces of sleep on it. Looking around, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

He tried to lay back down and go back to sleep, but his mind was awake now, and he couldn’t shake off the feeling. _Weird, it almost feels like apprehension…_

Deciding that returning to sleep wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, Yugi changed into a casual tunic and pants outfit before walking over to the balcony to peer outside. At first glance, everything seemed peaceful and in its rightful place against the black abyss of the night. Yugi couldn’t work out why his mind was suddenly so alert. He scanned the courtyard below, determined to convince his brain that nothing was wrong, so he could go back to sleep. The dawn hadn’t even arrived yet, and Yugi would be dammed if he didn’t get his sleep before his lessons tomorrow (or today, Yugi presumed, since it was probably somewhere past midnight).

Suddenly his eyes passed over the stables, and he had to double back, blinking again to make sure his eyes weren’t just seeing things. But sure enough, there were a few men standing outside the wooden structure. _Strange, no one should be out in the courtyard at this hour…_

Yugi bit his lip, watching the men. Something was definitely off about this. Surely he wasn’t just being paranoid? He saw several arm gestures being swung around, but from his height Yugi couldn’t tell exactly what they meant, nor the words probably been spoken with them.

 _Maybe I should go down there and check out what they’re doing. Worst case is I’ll get in trouble for wandering around the palace grounds by myself, right?_ Yugi bounced the idea in his mind, tilting his head back and forth in his indecisiveness.

As if tired of waiting for Yugi to decided, the men suddenly broke away from the stables. Their hands went to belts, and Yugi didn’t miss the small flashes of metal that reflected off the pale moonlight. _Swords._ Yugi glared down at them, his mouth in his throat as he watched the men moving away from the stables and heading towards a corridor that marked an entrance into the palace. _Gods, they’re trying to break into the palace,_ Yugi realised, his stomach suddenly flipping, making him feel sick. How did they get past the gate? Into the courtyard? _I’ve got to find Yami! He’ll know what to do!_

Not bothering to change out of the casual clothes he wore as sleepwear, Yugi tore out of the room, stopping only long enough to grab the blunted stick he kept under his bed- for his secret solo training sessions. The wood wouldn’t hold up against the steel of a blade, but any kind of weapon was better than none.

He padded down the corridors, stopping at every corner to peek around, checking for any signs of the intruders. It all seemed too weird- every hallway seemed too quiet, too _eerie_ as he traversed them. There was no sign of any one- no palace staff, no servants, no rich folk out for a late night stroll- nothing. It only served to make Yugi all the more cautious as he made his way towards Yami’s chambers.

He was about to open the door when he heard something- a small sound down one of the corridors. He immediately snatched his hand away from the door handle, snapping his head up in the direction of the sound. The corridor he had heard the noise down was the one that lead to the throne room from Yami’s chambers.

 _That means they’re near the throne room!_ Yugi realised.

Yugi wasted no time in tearing down the passageway, keeping his footsteps as light as he could manage. Soon the layout of the halls changed, and Yugi could make out a difference in the colour on the walls. The creamy texture of the halls near his and Yami’s room moved into a more golden hue on this side of the palace. To anyone it was obvious what lied beyond the corridors- the King’s wing of the palace, and, by extension, the location of the throne room.

The closer Yugi came to approaching the room, the more he could hear muffled voices. They sounded close than the noise from before, but too far away for Yugi to understand them, as if something was blocking them from him. He assumed they were coming from in the throne room, and the door was what was making their voices muffled.

He slowed down his pace, carefully placing one foot down quietly at a time, aware that the door was the only thing keeping him hidden from the no doubt blood thirsty invaders on the other side. Yugi had read stories about thieves that would break into palaces and castles to capture people worth ransoming. He wondered what their goal was, were they assassins, sent to kill his majesty? Or were they just merely after the wealth of the King? Yugi didn’t want to spend too long thinking it over, afraid that his thoughts would deter him from his resolve. Instead he focused on the voices on the other side of the door.

He could make out the bases of a conversation, one of the voices slightly higher while the other was a gruff low tone- the only way Yugi could distinguish between the two.

“He’s not here.” The person with the shrill voice said, his tone in a barely contained whisper. Yugi flattened his ear to the door, hoping to hear the conversation more clearly.

“… I can see that.” The gruff voice replied.

 _He? Who are they talking about? The king?_ Yugi frowned. His stomach was starting to clench in worry. He grasped his wooden sword tighter. What was he even doing here anyway? It wasn’t like he’d be able to stand up to thieves, or possible assassins with a wooden stick. He wished he didn’t feel so useless. _If only I had an actual sword…_

Suddenly the voices stopped, making Yugi’s frown deepen. He tried to lean on the door even more in the vain hope to pick up more details, but to his dismay, the hinges gave way, and suddenly Yugi found himself stumbling forward for balance as the heavy wooden blocks pushed inward. Struggling to regain his balance, he sighed in relief when both his feet were planted firmly back on the ground, but immediately froze up when he realised what had happened.

Looking up slowly, his eyes widened as they met two pairs of surprised eyes, rapidly turning into annoyance and anger.

“Looks like we’ve got a rat in the walls.” One of the men said- the one with the gruff voice. Now that Yugi could see the two owners of the voices, he admitted that they seemed to suit them well. The deep voiced man was of average height and features. His face looked too small for his head, and it didn’t help that his eyes were beady and angry looking. Yugi didn’t think the man knew how to smile.

The other looked like they had been rolled by one of the cook’s giant rolling pins. He was tall and lanky, and didn’t seem able to retain muscle weight at all. There was a sneer plastered on his face as he squinted his eyes at Yugi. Suddenly he flinched, his eyes widening as he jabbed a finger at Yugi. “T-That’s him!” He turned to his partner, continually pointing at Yugi. “That’s the advisor guy!”

The other man turned to Yugi, who was trying hard to cover his confusion. What guy? Who were they looking for? It couldn’t be _him_ , surely…? “I was told that we were supposed to kidnap a man, not a _boy_.” He spat the word out. Yugi’s anger flared up at the snide remark, but in the back of his mind he was trying to make the connection the other thief had made. _Why does everyone assume I’m some kid, just because I’m short?_

“But that has to be him! Who else has that crazy chaotic hair style?” He sneered, gesturing to Yugi’s hair. Yugi instinctively brought his hands to his hair, running them through the tangled mess. It _was_ particularly shabby right now, but that was because he had torn out of his bedroom, not giving his hair a single thought. He had had other things to worry about besides maintaining his appearance. He levelled a glare that passed between the two thieves, trying his best to look more menacing, despite his haphazard appearance.

“Who are you two? This room is off limits.” Yugi said in his best voice. He was surprised by how clear it sounded.

The two thieves exchanged a glance before the lanky one said, “You’re a little shorter than I thought, but we were told that you were pretty short anyhow. You’re the King’s adviser, aren’t ya?”

Yugi stopped, replaying the thieves’ words in his head. _The King’s… They think I’m_ Yami? It took all of Yugi’s self-restraint to not laugh over that. He could see how he could be confused for the advisor by strangers, but it was just weird to actually have someone _ask_ him, let alone _think_ it. Suddenly a though came to mind that had Yugi forming an idea. It was obvious that these thieves (possible assassins, Yugi still wasn’t ruling that option out) wanted Yami for something- kidnapping, Yugi remembered one saying- probably to hold him at ransom. Yugi didn’t think these two would ever be able to counter Yami if they ever came up against him, Yugi had never seen Yami lose a fight- be it physical or mentally- _ever._ Yugi thought it over, reaching his decision with a nod of his head. If they thought he was Yami, then he would just have to act the role out.

“What’s it to you?” Yugi said, letting his voice drop a little, his eyes narrowing in the way he had seen Yami’s do before. He was just glad that his friend wasn’t here right now, otherwise he’d have one hell of a time trying to explain what he was doing to the other. He had a feeling with Yami’s sense of humour he wouldn’t understand. _Although if Yami was here I wouldn’t feel so vulnerable,_ he thought bitterly. If he had his own proper weapon, he would be able to charge these two clowns by himself, instead of standing here hoping Yami would rock up to play the role of hero. _What does that make me, the damsel in distress? There’s no honour in that._ Yugi grimaced.

“Brat’s got a mouth on him, doesn’t he?” The lanky one smirked. The other thief just scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stepped forward. “Let’s just get this over with. We don’t have the time to be sweet talkin’. Hurry up and grab him Blaxton.”

Yugi froze, his Yami mask beginning to slip. He hadn’t thought this far ahead. Now they were going to kidnap _him_ instead of Yami!

“Wait, what are you—“ Yugi started to say, backing up slightly as the lanky man- Blaxton, he assumed- started forward towards him. He had barely enough time to get out those four words before he found himself getting cut off by hands grabbing his. He tried to struggle, wondering for a split second what happened to his wooden sword before he saw it flung to the ground a few metres away. He knew he would never reach it in time. Instead opting to use his body to fight, he tried to swing a fist at his attacker, but found nothing but air, making his hand continue through and causing him to spin around, following through with his movement. He shook his head to fend off the dizziness, looking around for where his attacker was. He didn’t have to spend long looking as he saw the man swipe across his vision, and suddenly he found himself doubled over as pain blossomed in his stomach.

“How’d this guy stay in his position for so long if he’s this weak?” Blaxton scoffed, standing over Yugi’s crouched form.

He tried to spit out a witty response, but Yugi found that he was too busy wheezing over his hurt stomach. _God Yugi, he only punched you once… Why am I so weak?_ Yugi closed his eyes, allowing himself to wallow for a moment in his self-pity. He looked up, trying his best to glare at the two men in what he thought was a Yami-glare.

“How dare you.” He spat, glad his voice was finally coming back. He also noticed- with immense pleasure- the venom in his voice. Blaxton seemed to hesitate at that, noting the change in his tone, until the other thief spoke up. “He’s just trying to put on a tough guy act. Knock him out already you idiot, before the guards find us.”

Yugi shifted his attention from the gruff man back to the other, who was over his initial reluctance and was now advancing towards Yugi again. He fumbled backwards, readjusting his position to swing another fist when the other thief took his chance to draw his sword, bringing his hand down to smack the pommel over the back of Yugi’s head. Yugi crumpled to the ground, feeling the strength leave his body as his vision began to black out.

* * *

 

Yami knew something was wrong the moment a chilly breeze entered the room. His chambers were always cold due to the lack of lighting he maintained in this section of the palace, but he could always tell when something seemed off, and he had been feeling something ill about all night. He glanced up at the sky for what seemed like the hundredth time tonight, judging the position of the moon as it clung to sea of darkness above, its light trying in vain to illuminate the sky.

He scowled at the darkened landscape, his eyes meeting nothing in the abyss. He glanced down to the section of the palace courtyard he could see from his balcony, trailing over the individual compartments of the complexes below. The barracks seemed as boring as usual, nothing out of the ordinary appearing to the advisor, but when his eyes passed over the stables, he had to double take, leaning over the balcony to squint his eyes against the distant object.

What tipped him off first was the horses tied to the wooden support beams out the front of the structure. Yami knew everything there was to know about the happenings of the palace, and he knew for sure that the horses were on strict rules to only be left _inside_ the building. He had punished the stable hands before for leaving them outside, so he doubted that any would be foolish enough to do it again. This abnormality wasn’t sitting well with the advisor, and he felt his frown deepen as he saw someone standing amongst the beasts. From his vantage point storeys up, Yami could only just make out the man’s sloppily dressed outfit- definitely no uniform belonging to the palace.

“Damn it.” Yami whispered, pushing back from the balcony and striding across the room. Within moments he had flung the door to his chambers open and was making his way down the hall. For added measure, he grabbed a sheathed sword from on his wall, grasping it in his hand as he rushed through the corridors as quietly and fast as he could.

He knew something was up when he saw the great doors to the throne room swung wide open inward. He stopped at the entrance to the room, his head swinging around as he scanned the area. Everything in the great room seemed in order, that is except for one small irregularity- two pieces of wood in the far corner against one of the pillars. They looked like they had been tossed across the room haphazardly. _Strange…_ Yami frowned as he walked forward until he was standing over a piece, bending down to pick the object up. To his complete shock, he realised it wasn’t an ordinary piece of wood. It may have been broken, but Yami recognised it.  _Yugi’s wooden sword, the one he keeps secretly under his bed… But that means…_

“Yugi, oh no… He’s…” He tore back down the corridor, but he feared he was already too late.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And on that bombshell, ahaha. Well not really, but having interesting chapter ends is, well, interesting, right? We got our first fight scene here too. I actually really like writing sword fights, they're so fun, why did I never put them in MWAU xD I suppose there were dragons and magic there, so no need. Well it's a good thing TBW is full of them then isn't it? To make up for it, ha. 
> 
> Oh also- There's going to be a double chapter update next week- chapter three on Tuesday, and chapter four on the usual Friday. I'm feeling generous. See you all Tuesday then!~


	3. Shuffling the cards of your game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo, here's that Tuesday update I promised~  
> Title is shamelessly from the Blue Foundation song Eyes of Fire. I really like this song, but have to cringe every time because it was used on the Twilight soundtrack augh. Anyways, enjoy chapter three!~

 

Yugi realised he was moving, even through the dull confines of sleep. He was caught in a slow swaying movement, almost like someone was cradling him, lulling him back to sleep. The swaying motion made it hard to get any of his senses to work, and he felt too sluggish, his muscles too relaxed to cope with the task of movement. He tried to pry his eyes open, but even his eyelids refused to budge- he managed a slit of vision, but it must have been sometime during the night, as he couldn’t see anything but pitch blackness.

The swaying continued on for a while, and Yugi just let it carry him through the night (it was definitely night time, as the slight chill hitting his back confirmed- late). As time marched on, his awareness started to grow, and he began to pick up different sounds and feelings. He soon realised that he was swung over the back of a horse, as he could hear its constant nickering, and the clop of its hooves as it hit the dirt tracks. (Dirt?) There was also someone else on the horse with him, and what he assumed was another rider somewhere close, as he heard the mutterings of a conversation every now and then. His arms wouldn’t respond to his commands, and while he could only twitch them slightly, that action alone brought with it a feeling of confused pain. He assumed that something was binding his arms together, probably rope from the uncomfortable pain that came from the friction of rubbing his wrists together.

He racked his brain for details on his latest memories. He was drawing a blank, his eyes scrunching up in concentration as he tried to probe out the specifics. There was the practice session with Yami in the morning, (he assumed that it was only a day ago? Two maybe?) and then he spent some time avoiding his book work and the library wing, and then he sat through dinner. He couldn’t remember anything out of the ordinary happening, it was an average day, and when it was over, he had gone to bed…

A sudden jolt passed through him, cold and unnerving as images flashed through his head. A closed door, muffled voices, a wooden sword, and then darkness...

He snapped his eyes open, he head jerking up in realisation. _That’s right…! I was knocked out by those thugs!_ He blinked, looking around frantically to take in his situation. Immediately he noticed the gruff voiced thief seated on the same horse he was thrown over. From his vantage point slumped over its rump, he could also see the other thief, the lanky one with the annoyance shrill voice perched atop another horse a couple of paces away. He seemed to have realised that he was being watched, as he turned his head towards Yugi, that annoying sneer coming over his face.

“Looks like our royal advisor has finally woken up. Did you get enough sleep, _sir?”_ He smirked out, clearly enjoying the look on Yugi’s face as realisation on the situation dawned on his face.

_Oh shit, that’s right… I was pretending to be Yami… I better keep up the ruse, otherwise I’m done for._

“What’s going on? Release me!” Yugi demanded in his best Yami voice. Of course it didn’t even come close to the advisor’s actual voice- there was no way Yugi could even hope to match that deep tone Yami emitted- but he liked to think it was convincing enough for these two. He just hoped that the thieves continued to be oblivious to his horribly performed scam.

 “Aww, how cute, his royalness thinks he’s in control here. Take a look around- not quite the King’s palace, is it?”

Yugi had to admit the man was right. As he glanced around with his limited viewing position, he noticed that they were in the middle of what seemed to be a forest from the outline of trees against the sky. Everything felt foreign and oppressive- and the darkness didn’t help. The only thing that seemed remotely familiar to Yugi was the dirt crunching underneath the hooves of the horses.

“Where am I? Where are you taking me?” Yugi questioned.

“I’m no telling you anything, _your majesty_ ,” The thief said mockingly. Yugi didn’t miss the bite in his voice. But Yami wasn’t the king, so why say that? He supposed he did act a little like a blueblood sometimes, but he was the advisor, not an actual royal. _Idiots,_ _they don’t even know proper court etiquette,_ Yugi thought as the thief continued. “You’ll find out when we get there. I just can’t wait to count out our coin.”

“That’s enough,” The gruff man scolded. “He doesn’t need to get any hints.”

“Hurry up, we have to be there by tonight or you’ll be counting an empty purse.” The gruff thug growled, and Blaxton retreated back to his original distance with a scoff.

_Interesting,_ Yugi mused. He was beginning to think that these thieves had been hired by someone to kidnap his friend, someone of higher power, probably involved in the war somehow. Someone from the opposing kingdom, Yugi suspected- a high up royal wanting to deal a powerful blow without attaching their name to it. So if they needed Yami instead of him, then what would happen when they realised he wasn’t him…? He didn’t want to think about it, but his mind was already running over the different ways they could end him for impersonating their target and jeopardising their mission.

Having nothing else to say, Yugi stayed quiet for the rest of the trip, trying to take in what he could of the environment and noting anything resembling landmarks where he could (which was next to nothing with only the moon guiding him), should he manage to escape later (and he would, or risk his life should they find him out), anything that would help him. He made sure to keep his facial reaction in a deep frown, something he felt was the natural blank on Yami’s face. He tried for the half bored, half annoyed expression his friend wore well, but he wasn’t sure if he was doing it justice. The crushing of dirt was ringing in his ears the loudest, making it near impossible to hone in on any passing sounds. The two thieved had ceased talking, although Yugi could hear a constant huffing coming from Blaxton, signalling his increasing annoyance at remaining quiet. Yugi got the feeling that he wasn’t used to long periods passing without his voice resonating through the air, a trait that Yugi noted for possible use later.

The ride continued on in general silence, until the gruff man stopped his horse, announcing they had arrived.

“And it’s about time!” Blaxton huffed. “I thought we’d never get here. Where’s this guy at? Where’s the coin!”

“Calm down and shut up- it’s past midnight, he’ll show.”

And so they waited, the two thieves perched atop their horses, and Yugi strung over the back uncomfortably. Minutes ticked by with nothing but the gentle spring breeze rustling the trees. The weather was cool, but not enough to cause a chill, which was good for a man in Yugi’s position. He didn’t know how long he had been wearing the same clothes for, and he preferred not to think too long about it. He could change out of them and maybe even find a place to bathe when he got out of this mess. _If I get out of this mess,_ Yugi thought ruefully.

Suddenly the thief in front of him slid down of his horse, the other moving to mimic him quickly.

“We’ve been waiting for ages- when is this guy going to show up?” Blaxton whined, kicking dirt with his shoes.

“He should have been here by now.” The gruff thief said, frowning. He glanced back to Yugi, narrowing his eyes in thought.

“Unless something happened, and someone tipped us off.”

“Impossible- the palace would be in too much of an uproar without their leaders. No one could have organised anything in that mess.”

“Unless we left behind one of their top strategists.” He said, staring meaningfully at Yugi. The other thief followed his gaze, brows wrinkling in confusion at the stare.

“You think we nabbed the wrong guy?” He asked. It was enough to make Yugi’s blood run cold. _No… They can’t know…_

“You’re not the king’s advisor.” The gruff man grumbled, stepping forward.

Yugi wriggled around on the horse’s back, ignoring the man in favour of trying to free himself. He managed to slide down its rump, landing on the ground painfully on his side.

Ever second counted, though, as he pushed up on his bound wrists, jumping up into a standing position to quickly back away.

Yugi swore he felt ice chips in his veins as the two thieves levelled angry glares at him, his heart was beating so sporadically in cold fear. He tried to take a step back, feeling his back brush up against the bark of a tree.

“W-Wait…” He stammered out. Of course, the thieves didn’t pay his protests any mind. They were close enough for Yugi to see himself in their eye’s reflection when a loud growl pierced the air, booming out over the clearing from somewhere in the trees.

Yugi tilted his head in time with the thieves, but all he saw was a flash of red charge into the clearing and push into the thieves, sending the two toppling over each other. He hardly had enough time to blink, let alone react as he watched everything unfold.

The thieves tried to push off the ground, spinning around to face their attacker. Yugi followed their gazes, trying to get a better look at this new force, but as soon as his eyes passed over something red, the thing was moving too fast for Yugi to see anything other than a blur. It jumped in between the two thieves, twirling around the two in a 360, the sound of something heavy smacking into them resonating in the air. Blaxton lost his balance, toppling onto the ground again, while the gruff man was surer footed, trying to reach out and grab the object on contact. Whatever it was was too quick, however, slipping out of the thief’s reach and jumping back into the safety of the tree line.

Yugi was just as stunned as the thieves. _What the_ hell _was that…?_ Were they being attacked by a wild animal? But then what kind of animal could move like that? A boar? No, they couldn’t jump that high. A big cat? He’d heard stories of what leopards and mountain lions could do- seen the damage they could cause. But he didn’t think that he’d ever heard of a red one before, nor any living around this area in the kingdom. But then again- he didn’t know _where_ in the kingdom they were now.

The gruff thief was standing guarded now, his eyes scanning the bush with apprehension. Yugi could tell that he was just as confused about the attacker as he was. The trees seemed to fold in towards them, closing the distance between where Yugi and the thief were standing and the seemingly never ending expanse of the forest. Yugi was just starting to wonder when the thing would strike again when the bushes shook and a tangle of limbs shot forward, smacking into the thief, who hardly had time to blink before he was tossed to the ground on his back.

Yugi felt himself flinch and try to press against the tree more, shuffling away from the fight unfolding in front of him. He could see now that the insanely quick attacker was actually very human- well, at least part human, Yugi reasoned. From what he could see of the man twisting and struggling against the other, his skin was red in hue, and his hands when he raised then to strike seemed to have… _Claws_. Upon looking closer, Yugi deduced that his hands were covered in scales, breaking away at the wrists and forming into long, sharp looking claws on each finger that gleamed in the moonlight. All their elegance seemed wasted now though, as droplets of blood were dotted over them, growing larger in numbers to form rivers stretching across his fingers as he continued to assault Yugi’s captor.

The thief was putting up a decent fight- Yugi would give him that- but he was losing, and both he and his attacker were well aware of it. His swings missed the other, and his movements were sluggish compared to the graceful strikes of the red man. It was all over when one of the thief’s blows swung too wide, giving the other the chance to rake his claws down the exposed chest. Yugi wanted to turn away from the streaks of blood that flew into the air, the way the gruff thief made horrific gurgling sounds as he choked on his own life line, but found his eyes glued to the man’s body as he convulsed one last time before dropping to the ground, never to rise again.

Yugi continued to stare at the man, a look of bewilderment on his face. He had just witnessed someone die. He knew this was the kind of thing people could become traumatised by, even to the point of being driven insane, but for some reason, he just continued to stare, his mind a blank sea. He tried to process it, to find out why he wasn’t screaming in fear, why he felt so… _Numb_ from it.

Part of him was glad that his captors were gone (though he suspected that his original diagnosis of the thief he had come to know as Blaxton was wrong, and the man was most definitely dead, not merely knocked out), but part of him scolded the other part, repeating lesson quotes over and over in his mind. ‘ _No one should have the power to end another’s life_ ,’ that was one of his more boring lecturers- a man Yugi couldn’t even remember the face nor name of right now. Almost in response to himself, another quote shot back, the smooth, silky tone of Yami’s voice floating through Yugi’s mind, ‘ _In a life or death situation, one must chose to fight or flee. A true knight will fight no matter the cost, as it is his sworn duty to protect, and one cannot protect while running away_.’ Yugi could hear the sense in those words, and commended that side of him that made him see reason. But damn it, why did Yami always have to sound so smug when he was right?

Yugi found his line of vision covered by red, and he flinched, taking a raincheck from his conscious searching and recoiling back as he saw the scaled man standing there, staring at him. His eyes widening as he finally got a proper look at the attacker- his saviour, he supposed, although he didn’t want to admit it- what little pride Yugi had left refused to budge on the matter.

He looked younger than Yugi, but more hardened, like he was familiar with travelling the world. He was dressed in average clothes- nothing fancy. A simple brown short sleeved tunic, and cream coloured pants, covered in flicks of dirt.

“Are you alright?” The man asked, and Yugi couldn’t help but notice the way his voice seemed to distort a little in its gruffness. It was almost like he had another voice talking as well, giving him a slight echo. But while Yugi’s captor with the gruff voice had more of a scratch to it, this man’s voice carried more smoothly, demanding more attention.

“… Right?”

“What?” Yugi blinked.

“I asked if you were alright.” The man said with a twitch of annoyance. _So much for being nice,_ Yugi thought. He supposed he should count his blessings and hold back the witty remark he felt coming. Yami always told him that he should observe the full scenario before making any comment. _I guess all of his constant lecturing finally paid off._

“I’m okay, thanks.” Yugi replied. The man gave him a curt nod, looking him over for a second- probably looking for any sign of injury- reaching out to slice a clawed finger down the rope binding Yugi’s hands, freeing him before speaking again.

“What were you lot doing out here anyway? I take it they were holding you ransom for something,” Yugi nodded in confirmation, and the man continued. “In which case you might want to make yourself scarce. I doubt you’ll have to deal with anyone else right now, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. Go home.”

Yugi wanted to laugh. And he did. He burst into a fit of chuckles, not missing the confused frown that took over the other’s face.

“Did I miss something?” He quipped when Yugi had stifled his laughter.

“Do you know who I am?” Yugi asked suddenly, throwing the other off. He liked the way he seemed to be able to confuse this man, it was like a small glimpse of influence- something he was definitely not used to back in his life at the palace. Plus it was just funny.

“Not a clue,” The man responded. “Should I know?”

“Perhaps. Do you know the King?” It was a stupid question- of course he knew the King, there was only one in the entire kingdom and _everybody_ knew who called the shots. Even this guy, whoever he was. He was dressed in commoner’s clothes, but there was something about him that seemed to not fit the role of a commoner. A travelling merchant, perhaps? But then, where were his wares?  

“Of which Kingdom?” He replied. Okay, scratch that, maybe he doesn’t know the King. This time it was Yugi’s turn to be thrown off. What kind of question was that? It was borderline treason to mention the other kingdom- the one they were at war with. Yugi couldn’t help the sense of apprehension that fell over him. He could sense that he was treading on some dangerous ground. Maybe this maybe-merchant was from a town or city in the other country, and if he revealed that he was a noble here, he could be back to square one, being kidnapped again, this time by this strange, scaled man. As if to check, Yugi trailed his eyes down the man’s arms, jumping a little when he saw regular human hands as opposed to the scaled claws he had before.

“Your hands!” Yugi squeaked before he could stop himself.

“…What about them?” The man asked, confused. He brought one up to his face to inspect it, but it must have passed whatever test, because he returned that confused look- the hitched brows and pursed lips- at Yugi. “I assure you they’re just hands, no need to freak out.”

“B-But you had claws before! And scales! I saw them, you can’t deny it!” In hindsight Yugi probably should have realised that pointing and exclaiming at the man he had just seen tear apart another wasn’t his best approach, but he was too caught up in the moment for such logical thinking.

“…Yeah, I did…? They must not be teaching you much up in that palace of yours, if you’ve never seen someone beast transform before.”

“Beast transform? You mean… You have your beast power?!?” Yugi exclaimed, excitement bubbling over to squash his previous emotions. He didn’t know why he didn’t see it before- here right in front of him was someone who had unlocked their beast!

“Last time I checked, yeah, I do.” He responded, his tone bored-like. 

“What’s it like? What kind of beast is it? Does it hurt to transform? Does—“

“Well aren’t you just full of questions suddenly,” The man interrupted. “Too bad I really cannot be bothered to answer them all.”

“What? Why not?” Yugi frowned. He had been waiting _ages_ to meet someone with a beast power (although he was sure some of the knights that visited from other castles to see the king had their power, but it wasn’t public knowledge, and Yami had refused his constant asking to know), and now that he had finally met one, they wouldn’t tell him anything!

“Because none of it matters. If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to live with an awoken beast.” The man replied, and Yugi didn’t miss how quiet his voice turned.

“What do you mean—?” Yugi began to ask, but the man was ignoring him, turning away and simply walking out of the clearing.

“H-Hey, wait!

“What is it?” He asked, bored.

“Are you just going to leave me behind?” Yugi pursed his lips, annoyed with the other’s lack of compassion.

The man levelled a glare at Yugi, pausing in his strides. “And what’s wrong with that? I’ve already helped you with your predicament, surely you don’t require _more_ assistance?”

Yugi felt his anger rising as it pricked at the edges of his mind. “You can’t just leave me out here in the middle of nowhere! How am I supposed to make it back to the palace?” Yugi blurted out.

“Don’t bother,” The man said, raising a hand to stop Yugi. “I don’t have time to listen to your blabbering, and I certainly don’t have time to be trekking across an entire kingdom.”

Yugi scrunched his face up at that. “Entire kingdom? What are you talking about? Those thieves were only three days away from the palace, it shouldn’t take long to get back.”

“Three full days galloping by horseback, perhaps, but do you see any horses around? They ran off when they saw me before, probably long gone by now. And besides they’d never let me near them. It would take us about a week to make it to your capital walking from here- not that I’m going anywhere near the place.”

“Why not?” Yugi pursed his lips. He really didn’t like the idea of being left alone in the middle of nowhere- especially if he was on the other side of the kingdom. He could even be close to the border, something he immediately threw to the back of his mind. He _really_ didn’t want to think about that.

The man threw him a look that said ‘ _really?_ ’ “Because I don’t want to. I owe you no explanations.”

“So that’s it? You’re just going to rock up, kill some guys, have a light conversation with me, and then just ditch? Why bother?”

“You’re not in any immediate danger right now. Unless you’re foolish enough to go looking for it, I dare say you should be able to make it back to your cosy blue blood castle in no time.”

“But I don’t even know which direction to head in!” Yugi protested. The man shot him a bored look before turning to point to Yugi’s left. “There’s a town not too far that way. Ask around smartly there and they should give you directions to the palace.”

“Gee thanks.” Yugi mumbled, following the direction the man was pointing in. A thought occurred to him, and Yugi turned back to say something, seeing that the other had already turned away and was about to disappear into the trees.

“Wait.”

“Seems to be all I’m doing recently.”

Yugi ignored the quip at him and continued. “Can I at least know your name? Mine’s Yugi.”

“Does it matter? Once you’re sitting high and mighty back at your palace you won’t even remember it.”

“I don’t sit high and mighty- I’m not a royal,” Yugi countered, bristling at the jabs. _Although technically I am, I guess._ The man didn’t need to know that, though. “And it does matter, because as much as I don’t want to admit it- you did save my life there.”

The man glared at him, looking him over once, seemingly thinking over Yugi’s words. Finally, he relented, his shoulders sagging as he sighed.

“Fine, have it your way,” He said, turning back to Yugi one last time to utter four words. “My name is Atem.”

And then he was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey look it's Atem's introduction. And then he leaves ahaha. Just in case anyone is confused- Atem and Yami are separate characters in this story. In the early stages, I was worried the story wouldn't be as good because I split them up from just being 'Yami' or 'Atem,' but in the end giving one of their roles to someone else didn't sit right with me, and then I realised 'oh wait I'M the one spending all this time and effort writing this story, I should make it how I want it!' So yeah, I left it as it is. There's no Mobiumshipping tho, I should say. Gosh I hope Atem's intro was okay...   
> We're slowly getting into the more actiony and exciting parts. Also into chapters I've written more recently, so I feel a bit better knowing they'll have hopefully better communication in them. The plot went under some changes after I had already written these three chapters, so even after editing them I was still worried they wouldn't be the best. But then again I'm an incredible worry wart, so who knows? See you all Friday for the regular update B)


	4. Moving ahead, falling behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh chapter four, it's a strange one. Well it was strange to write at least ahaha. Enjoy!~

 

“Damn stuck up scaled brute.” Yugi muttered as he whacked yet another branch out of his way, causing more leaves to rain down on him. He blew them out of his face, swatting the rest off as he trudged along through the undergrowth. He was cold, miserable, and above all else annoyed at that man- _Atem_ \- who had left him in the middle of nowhere in the dark of night to fend for himself.

“How could he just leave me there, I have no idea where I am! ‘ _Oh there’s a village over there,_ ’ he says. Yeah, over _where?!”_

Yugi had been wandering around in the dark forest for what seemed like hours now. He was surprised the sun hadn’t come up yet, although he expected to see the glowing streaks of daylight any moment now. He was almost sure he was heading in the right direction, but he didn’t have any defining landmarks to judge by. As far as he knew, he was hopelessly lost.

_At least it hasn’t started raining yet_ , he though grimly, looking up almost expectedly, as if mentioning it would jinx the rain to start pouring. However, he must have had some luck left, as the sky remained the same cloudless abyss it had been all night.

Yugi sighed, continuing his trek through the woods until he could make out the taller shadows of buildings, set apart from the outlines of trees.

“Ah, scaled brute was right after all.”

Sighing in relief, Yugi walked the last couple of paces into the town, just as the first rays of morning appeared above the horizon.

* * *

 

Yugi was tired, very sleep deprived, but he had never been happier to see houses and civilisation before in his life. He had always dreamed of going out on expeditions and journey’s as a knight, but he hadn’t expected his first trip outside of the palace to be so… Daunting? Horrific? Annoying? Well whatever it was, it was something he wasn’t in a hurry to go through again.

There were quite a few people out already at dawn, mostly those wanting to get a head start on the chores for the day, and those setting up stalls in the market place. Yugi felt his stomach growl as his eyes wandered over the selection of fresh fruit lining the stalls. A particularly ripe looking pear caught his attention, and, not thinking, he reached forward to pluck it off the stand. He bit into it, revelling in the feeling of the texture on the skin, and the taste as he swallowed. He kept on walking, not noticing when someone called out at him.

Suddenly a hand pulled him back, and Yugi blinked, confused, as he turned around to face a very angry looking woman. She was dressed in average looking clothing- similar to that Yugi had seen the cooks in the palace wearing on occasions. Outfits consisting of robes and tunics made out of easily found materials.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing? You have to pay for that you thief!” The woman shouted.

Yugi just blinked at her. “Pay for? What do you mean?” He asked, confused. He had never had to pay for his food before in his life. This didn’t seem to be the answer the woman was after, however, as her grip tightened menacingly on his arm, electing a yowl of surprise from him.

“Pay up! We don’t take kindly to thieves around here, boy.” The woman scowled at him.

Yugi had no idea what he was supposed to do- he didn’t carry around money at all, since he had no need for it. It wasn’t like he had planned to get kidnapped that night.

“That’s enough,” A low voice called out, causing both Yugi and the woman to stop. “He’s with me.”

Yugi froze- he knew that voice. He turned around, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw who was standing in front of him. _I thought he left!_ “You…!”

* * *

 

Atem walked through the trees, the conversation he just had replaying in his mind. The man- _Yugi_ , he corrected himself- sure had been interesting. His questions had amused Atem, but also given him an idea as to what the people of the palace were like. He suspected that Yugi’s view on things was quite narrow, however- no doubt restricted as to what the royals of the kingdom crammed down his throat. For some reason, though, Atem found himself drawn to the way the other acted. Part of him wanted to explore more of the people of this land, to interact and see for himself first-hand how things ran here. The other part of him wanted to leave, having seen enough, and return west. That part of him he could hardly hear, however, over the pulse of his curiosity.

He frowned, confused at the thought. He didn’t want to risk getting involved in the affairs of this country. But a part of him- the overly curious part- wanted to find a reason to care. He felt that the spirit he sensed in Yugi could help him see a reason, but he didn’t want to put himself on the line for a man he had just met for mere minutes. There was something about him, Atem had to admit. But it wouldn’t stop him from seeing reason. _Maybe I should at least make sure he made it to the town,_ Atem thought. _I was being quite vague and cold to him. It was rather rude of me. He didn’t deserve my mistreatment- it sounds like he’s far from home and needs help._

His mind made up, he spun around, pushing through the low lying tree branches until he reached a ridge. He looked over the edge to see the trees in the area below. There was the faint outline of something not natural beyond, in a sort of outcrop amongst the trees. Atem jumped down the ledge, making his way towards the source- the place he knew the town was located.

He eventually reached the outskirts, moving through the outlying houses as he made his way closer. The hustle of the markets reached his heightened hearing before he saw the beginnings of the stalls. He was just about to step out to ask around for the blue-blooded boy when he saw a head of spikey hair move through the stalls, and he immediately fell flush against a wall, hiding himself from view.

He observed Yugi silently, sliding along to the edge of the wall as he peered out to watch the boy make his way through the stalls. Yugi seemed to have stopped in front of a fruit stand, and the shopkeeper was waving their hands around in jerky motions at him in what Atem guessed wasn’t a pleasant way.

_Is he…?_ He was. Atem swore, pushing off the wall as he strode towards the couple arguing in the street. He could pick up the conversation through his heightened hearing, and it only served to confirm his suspicions.

“Idiot…” Atem muttered under his breath as he strode forward, moving to stand behind Yugi. “That’s enough,” he called out, demanding attention immediately with his powerful voice. He was almost surprised it had never dulled in intensity, even though he hadn’t raised his voice in years. “He’s with me.”

He fished out some copper coins and tossed them at the lady- who looked ready to argue. He knew it was well above the price of the fruit Yugi had taken, but he figured it would help to keep the store owner from complaining more. Sure enough, she took a quick look over the money before nodding and shuffling back behind her stall.

Atem saw his chance and grabbed Yugi’s arm- much to the sharp protesting of the other- dragging the boy over to the side alley he had been hiding in before. “What were you thinking?” He growled when they were out of earshot. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Yugi. “Were you _even_ thinking?”

* * *

 

Yugi struggled to regain his footing against the cobblestone of the alley. He barely registered the fact that he was being shoved into an alley with only this strange, powerful man he had met once- not to mention how he had watched him kill two men in a matter of minutes. He was too upset and annoyed to care. “What’s it to you? What are you even doing here anyway- thought you were too good for this village.”

He saw Atem’s face screw up at that comment as the man replied, “I never said anything of the sort. That’s certainly no way to treat someone who just saved your skin- _twice_.”

“Well it’s not like I asked or anything! I can handle myself just fine, thanks.” Yugi huffed, his cheeks flaring up as he protested. Atem cocked an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed and not convinced in the slightest. Yugi was beginning to hate that overly confident expression the other wore so well.

“Well alright then, if you’re so sure, I’ll just stop helping you then.” Atem said, shrugging and adjusting his arms.

“Good- I don’t need your help anyway.” Yugi grumbled, resisting the urge to cross his arms over his chest. He didn’t want to mimic the other’s pose.

“Then you won’t have to worry about it anymore, I’ll leave you now. Good luck with your trip back to your kingdom’s palace.” Atem turned to move away, and Yugi dropped his arms.

“Wait what? _My_ kingdom’s palace? What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked sceptically. Did he hear that right? Atem didn’t consider the country his? Then where did he come from? There was only one other kingdom…

“Just what you think it means, I’m sure. I’m not from this kingdom, and I’ll leave it at that. Good day.” Atem said, his head tilted around while he spoke before swinging it back around and trotting out of the alley.

Yugi had to run to catch up to him- he had no idea why he started running, but he felt that if he let the other man walk away now, he may never see him again, and for some reason, that idea sent a sharp spike through his body. He felt like he _needed_ to stop the other walking away, or something bad would happen, so he reached out and grabbed Atem’s arm.

Atem’s head snapped back to level a glare at him. “Can I help you, _stranger?”_ He stressed out the last word, making Yugi wince slightly.

“I…” Yugi started lamely, realising he didn’t have anything planned to say. Atem seemed to pick up on this, however, as he sighed, raising his hand up to gently pull Yugi’s away as he turned to face him.

“Look, I understand that you’re scared, tired, and alone out here in a place so far from your home. But I honestly don’t know if I can help you- and it doesn’t help that you insist on being so stubborn with refusing help. I understand that I was quite harsh to you last night, and I do apologise for my actions, but… I just don’t know what to say.” He sighed again, looking away.

Yugi wasn’t sure why, but the thought of the only thing even remotely familiar in his life right now walking away from him and leaving him in this strange new place filled him with apprehension. Something inside him was telling him to not let the other walk away again- it was like a little voice, whispering to Yugi lowly. _If he leaves, you’ll never see him again. You’ll be stuck here forever._

_But what was so wrong about that?_ Yugi mused, tossing the thought over. If he stayed here, he’d never have to return to his boring life in the palace- no more advisors to belittle him, no more rules to weight him down. He could be what he wanted to be… Maybe even train to become a knight one day down the line. He had the freedom of choice- he just had to make it count.

But he couldn’t do anything here, in this village in the middle of nowhere. He needed somewhere he could go, somewhere that would cater to his interests, and big enough that no one would even consider he was from the palace…

“Furenall! Of course!” He said, not realising he had spoken out loud. The second largest city in the entire kingdom- and far enough away from the palace that he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone recognising him somehow.

_But how will you get there? Furenall is so very far away…_ The voice returned, and Yugi cursed it. It was right- and besides Yugi listening to voices in his head and risking going insane- he had to find a way to travel to a city that could support his plans.

“… Furenall?” Atem asked, an eyebrow raised far too elegantly on his face. Yugi secretly wished he had the power to lift his eyebrows like that. There would be no end to the ridiculous faces he would make to the court…

“Oh, uh. I’m thinking... It would be better to go to Furenall. Since I have no idea what state the palace is in, I don’t really want to go back anytime soon. Plus it’s boring there. I want to... Travel.” Yugi admitted.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Well, nothing, really,” Yugi flushed, frowning. “But I don’t know where I am, and it would be nice- I have to admit- to have someone to take me.”

“And you expect me to jump at the chance?”

“Well, no.” Yugi crossed his arms defensively.

“No, it doesn’t work that way. Besides, I don’t have time for this.”

“Why? Where do you have to go?” Yugi asked mockingly.

“Nowhere you need to know,” Atem huffed, jutting his head away. “And besides, it’s really none of your business. Go play royal somewhere else won’t you?”

Yugi felt his face get increasingly flustered the more Atem spoke. He swore the man was purposely trying to get under his skin- after all, no one could be _that_ frustrating.

“What if I offered you something in return for taking me?”

“What could you possibly offer me? I have no interest in gold nor material wealth.” Atem said flatly, but Yugi could tell his interest was raised by the idea.

“Well what do you want? Everyone wants something that they can’t get by themselves. Maybe I can help.”

Atem paused at that, his body tensing up. He seemed to be considering Yugi’s words finally, his eyes closed in thought.

“Just how much influence do you have in the kingdom’s court?” He asked suddenly, tilting his head to peer at Yugi with one eye.

“In the court? Well… Uh… I’m best friends with the King’s right hand, and he has a pretty big amount of sway in court, so…”

“That doesn’t give me the biggest sense of reliability.” Came Atem’s clipped input.

Yugi scrunched up his face, glaring at the other. “Well you’re the one who asked! And I’ve got plenty of influence! If I wanted something to happen or change, then I could make it so!”

“Is that so?” Atem hummed, closing his eyes again. He tilted his head, seemingly weighing his opinions. “In that case, I have my conditions.”

“…Alright, what are they?” Yugi asked, the tone of the other’s voice tipping him off. He had a feeling what Atem was going to ask him was something he couldn’t offer. Then again, he had lied when he said he held sway in the court- what was one more lie, if it got him home? _I don’t like lying to him, but I don’t know anything about life outside the palace. Atem is my best chance to get to Furenall, unfortunately._

Atem held out a finger, making sure Yugi had his full attention on him before he spoke up. “Only one condition- When you return to the palace- I’m assuming you will, sooner or later- I want you to try and convince the king to stop fighting this pointless war and make a treaty with the neighbouring kingdom.”

Yugi frowned, taken aback at the other’s request. “That’s what you want? Not be elevated to a higher status, land, anything like that? You want… A treaty?”

Atem looked at Yugi like he was the strangest thing he had ever seen. “And why wouldn’t I want peace between the two kingdoms? Both of them are suffering for no reason- there is nothing fuelling this war. All it is doing is destroying both of the kingdoms in chips, like some kind of pathetic game. And besides, I have no interest in statuses nor land. Like I said, material wealth does not appeal to me.”

Yugi stared at the other, mulling over his words. He did have a good idea- a treaty would end the war. It wasn’t like Yugi knew anything about the war anyways, but he was sure they would run into soldiers sooner or later trying to get to Furenall. He decided not to let that little detail slip to Atem just yet, however. He didn’t fully understand nor trust the other and his ‘peace seeking,’ especially after Yugi had witnessed him run two people down in a matter of seconds. _Anyone with that kind of power wants more than ‘world peace,’_ Yugi thought bitterly. It was something he would hear from Yami often- everyone wanted power in some form, and anyone who said otherwise was hiding something. He wondered what it was Atem was hiding from him.

“Do we have a deal?” Atem asked, breaking Yugi out of his train of thought as he cocked an eyebrow at him, his hand extended.

Yugi hummed, tilting his head back and forth as he thought the proposition over. He wasn’t really sure if there was even much to consider anyway, since he didn’t really know anything about the land, so he had no real way of working out how to get back home. He came to the realisation that he was going to need Atem’s help no matter what. _I guess I have no choice but to accept his terms, although there’s not much I can actually do in the court,_ Yugi thought, biting his lip. _I really don’t like the idea of lying so much, it seems morally wrong, but I don’t have a choice. If I want to get to Furenall, I’m going to have to make Atem believe I hold sway in court. I just hope when I do return to the palace eventually, that I can reason with Yami enough to at least get them to consider Atem’s peace treaty…_

“Alright, you’ve got a deal, but I can’t promise that the king will drop everything to accept my proposal. I can at least give you my word that I will try my hardest to get him to consider your treaty.” Yugi said, eyeing the other’s hand as he tentatively pulled his into the palm.

“If that is as good as I can get, then I shall take it.” Atem nodded, strengthening his grip around Yugi’s hand and shaking it.

Yugi felt like the bones in his arm didn’t exist anymore suddenly, as the force of the other’s handshake bounced his arm up and down in a wave. Atem seemed to catch on to the other’s distress, as he paused to slip his hand away.

“Sorry, forgot about my beast’s strength.” He muttered, staring down at his hands.

“It’s alright- hey, what _is_ your beast? It’s a dragon, right?” Yugi asked curiously. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t dying to know more, now that he had the chance to talk to someone with their beast up close. And he’d never seen or heard of anyone with a dragon class beast before. They were extremely rare beasts.

“I have one condition if we are to travel together,” Atem spoke up, ignoring Yugi’s pout at avoiding the question. “Don’t ask me about my beast. It’s not a very polite topic to discuss, and frankly I’m not excited by the idea of sharing such personal information with someone I _just_ met.”

Atem raised an eyebrow at Yugi, as if to challenge him to argue with his point. Instead, Yugi just scoffed, shrugging his shoulders. He had been excited by the idea to learn more about beasts, but even though he couldn’t understand why Atem would want to hide such a power skill, he supposed in order to keep the man travelling with him he would have to agree to his condition.

 “Fine, fine. I wouldn’t ask you about your beast.” Yugi grumbled.

Atem seemed satisfied with his answer, nodding as he turned to look beyond the alley’s entrance. “We best be off then. We can resupply in this village before we continue. I’d also like to purchase a map of the kingdom if we can find one, so I can work out where we’re going exactly.”

“What, you don’t trust my sense of judgement?”

Atem deadpan stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “You mean someone who seems to have never left the security of a palace, and doesn’t understand how simple purchases are made? Not to mention you need me to help you get to this city? You’ll have to forgive me for questioning your choices.”

“Hmm, well when you put it that way.” Yugi mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Look, how about you go find the map? I’ll go back to the market, and you can see if you can find a book store somewhere, hopefully,” Atem sighed, pulling out a coin purse and rummaging through it to pull out several copper pieces. “This should be more than enough for a map, just… Try not to get scammed, okay?”

Yugi’s face screwed up at that, and he opened his mouth to argue before thinking better of it and clamping it back shut. “Fine.”

“Meet back here in fifteen minutes, I don’t want to waste anymore daylight while we have it.” Atem said before he spun around and strode of in the direction of the food stalls. Yugi watched him go before trudging off in another direction, shoving his hands into his pockets as he glanced at the windows he passed. He was only half-heartedly paying attention, his mind far away, lost in thought.

He wasn’t sure what had brought on his split second decision making back in the alley with Atem. Part of him had panicked, unsure of the world around him, and the rational side of his brain had told him that his best bet of getting anywhere safe was with Atem. The guy was powerful- Yugi had seen this already, but he also seemed to have some kind of sense of better judgement that Yugi felt he could play off. Some kind of ‘noble intention.’ After all, Yugi couldn’t say he’d ever heard anyone suggest a peace treaty between the two kingdoms at war before.

He blinked, realising he had run out of shops to pass as the cobblestones beneath his feet slowly dissolved into dirt and grass as the path extended out into the forest. He couldn’t see passed the first few lines of trees, so he turned around back to the village and shops.

This time he was paying more attention to the houses and the signs hanging out the front and in windows. He found a store with a promising sign labelled ‘G _eneral Supplies_ ,’ and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The inside was small- the shop couldn’t have been bigger than one and a half bedrooms, and was split into different sections for various supplies. He found the section with the books easily enough, as one of the walls displayed a small bookshelf crammed with all different kinds of texts.

There were no defining categories within the stacks, so Yugi was forced to rummage around through all the books, checking titles on spines and pulling books out when the spines didn’t display any. Most of them had the promise of fairy tales or fantasy novels, made up stories no doubt aimed at children. The most common form of literature in outlying villages and towns. Others were about history and significant time periods, although when Yugi flicked through one of them, he noticed that a lot of the pages were torn out and missing towards the end. _Someone must really not like history,_ he thought, dismissing the book back on the shelf.

“Well too bad for fussy scales, I can’t find any maps.” Yugi said to himself, shaking his head.

A sudden noise on the far side of the room jolted Yugi and he flinched, snapping his head in the direction of the interference.

Someone shuffled in from a back door Yugi hadn’t seen previously, muttering to themselves before turning their attention to Yugi.

“A customer, eh? What can I do for you boy?” The person said, and Yugi assumed they were the shopkeeper. He hadn’t even realised he had been perusing the items unattended. _Boy?! I’m twenty five!_ Sure he was shorter than average, but he knew he didn’t look like some teenage kid.

“I’m looking for a map. Of the kingdom.” Yugi said simply, eyeing the other as they wove through everything to reach Yugi’s side of the shop.

“A map eh? Not in this town I’m afraid,” The shopkeeper said, waving a dismissive hand. “You’d be looking at a trip to Rinew for something that specific, it’s the closest town with a chance for a map, seeing as how it’s an outpost. Although mind you, no idea what a boy needs a map like this for.” The shopkeeper added, cocking a curious eyebrow at Yugi.

_I’m not a boy!!_ _Twenty five!!!_ Yugi stiffened, not liking the tone of voice, or the implication. He hadn’t realise it would be this hard to get a hold of something that he had an entire wall of back at the palace. Heck, there was even a giant tapestry hanging in the dining hall of a map of the kingdom.

And he couldn’t ignore that fact that he had been referred to as a ‘boy’ again. He understood that he hadn’t given his name- and had no intension of doing so on the account of how many people in the kingdom were called ‘ _Yugi’_ \- but the title didn’t sit right with him. He was twenty five- not fifteen, and every time someone seemingly went out of their way to treat him like a kid it aggravated him to no end.  

But he had to focus, and find a way to quietly slip away from this shopkeeper that was beginning to eye him suspiciously.

“Oh okay… Well… Thanks anyway.” Yugi spluttered out, pivoting on his foot to stride out the door, not looking back. He wasn’t particularly paying attention to looking forward either, as he bumped into something a few metres from the door. He heard a very distinct ‘ _hmph_ ,’ and when he stepped back he saw Atem standing there, his arms resting loosely on his hips and a bag slung over his shoulder.

“I guess you couldn’t find the map.” He said in greeting, his eyes searching Yugi’s form. Yugi couldn’t help feeling a little violated from those travelling eyes, even though he was sure the other wasn’t thinking anything like that.

“Um, no, because they didn’t have any.” Yugi said, grumbling.

Atem frowned at that, humming in thought. “I should have guessed a small village like this would be lacking maps.”

“The shopkeeper did give me a lead however,” Yugi added. “They said that Rinew would have some.”

“Rinew? Where is that?”

“It’s…” Yugi frowned, racking his brain for the information he knew was in there. “It’s on the border. Between the kingdoms.”

Atem looked at Yugi seriously for a moment before wrenching his face into a groan. “Of course- in the opposite direction. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well it’s not too far from here I think,” Yugi reasoned. “And at least we’ll be able to travel on the main path from there- we probably won’t even need a map.”

“It would defeat the purpose of going then if we wouldn’t need the map anymore.” Atem protested weakly, mumbling under his breath. He didn’t believe his words as much as he probably wanted to.

Yugi waited patiently while Atem seemingly had an internal battle over their options. He tipped his head from side to side, an unpleasant expression marring his face as he concentrated. After a few minutes, he threw up his hands, groaning loudly.

“Fine! Rinew it is! Let’s just get going already- we’re burning daylight.” He said, readjusting the bag on his shoulder before turning around. He didn’t check to see if Yugi was following him, so Yugi was forced to scramble to catch up with the other, who had almost immediately set a break neck pace.

_Does this guy travel often?_ Yugi wondered as he tried to match the pace. _He seems pretty familiar with the strain of going from place to place. I wonder if he’ll tell me if I ask…_

Yugi held off from hammering the other with questions for now- after all, if they were going to travel together, there would be plenty of chances to drop hints later.

* * *

 

For Yugi’s first (conscious) journey outside the palace, he had a feeling it went better than it could have. They didn’t run into any trouble- Atem made sure of that. He had kept a low profile during the journey, making sure they seemed as average as possible when they passed other travellers (which was quite a challenge with Yugi’s over the top hairstyle, and Atem’s not-so-tame one).

They didn’t eat much however, as Atem said once it was important to keep rations, especially since he was the one carrying all the food (although Yugi had offered to carry it too, to which Atem had just scoffed something about him being ‘too weak,’ much to Yugi’s annoyance). Yugi had never gone a day in his life at the palace without a decent three times a day food schedule, so to say being forced to eat less than this was a new experience for him was an understatement.

He did enjoy the scenery though. He had never seen anything outside of the backdrop of the castle’s surroundings, and even the mountains stacked around the palace would lose their charm when he was forced to stare at them all day. But the paths that wove through the forests and fields that they had travelled on sung different stories, they showed different features and colours that Yugi hadn’t thought was possible to see. ‘ _You’ve seen one forest you’ve seen them all,_ ’ he had heard a travelling merchant say one day at the palace, but Yugi couldn’t disagree more with him. The forests they passed through breathed different life for every tree. Several times Yugi had walked off the track to feel the bark on a tree, and rip a section off to scratch and rub his hands over it as they walked on, just to feel the texture of it.

He caught Atem staring at his endeavours often, but if the other had any problems, he didn’t voice them, instead charging forward on the path. He seemed focused, and he would only answer Yugi’s questions with somewhat vague responses during the trip. Yugi upheld the deal to not discuss the other’s beast, but he still tried to hammer him with questions about anything else he could think of along the way.

It only took them two days’ worth of travelling to reach Rinew, with them arriving on the second night. Yugi stood on a kind of hill that lead down to the village- if you could call it that.

Rinew was more like an ‘outpost’ that marked the border between the two kingdoms. A miniscule amount of houses were set up on their side of the border, all littered close enough to the outpost that they had protection, but far enough away that they wouldn’t be mistaken for citizens of the other kingdom (somehow, Yugi was sure it was a real concern).

The border itself was not what Yugi had been expecting either. He had fabricated the idea that the entire border between the two kingdoms was a giant stone wall, clearly marking the line between the two that the map’s always showed. But that couldn’t be further than the truth. The border was… Non-existent. There was no border. The outpost had a weak fence stretching out in each direction for a few kilometres, but it lacked the conviction that Yugi’s stone wall did.

From his vantage point on the hill, Yugi could also see beyond the fence and outpost, into what he had always been lead to believe as the battleground of their enemy. It was just fields, and the forest continuing on from their side. It looked almost the exact same as where Yugi was standing right now- in their side of the border. There was no bleak, desolate wasteland out there to give Yugi the idea of an evil kingdom. Instead it looked…

“It looks the same as here.” Yugi said out loud.

Atem scoffed from behind Yugi, walking up to stand by his side. “What did you expect? Of course they look the same- the land doesn’t care for kingdoms divided. It’s all the same big mass to it.”

“I never thought of it that way.” Yugi admitted, scratching his cheek.

“Obviously not.”

“Hey! I can’t help it if I was never allowed to leave the palace- ever. I grew up being fed everything that I was told. Of course it was going to be bias information, you can’t blame me for not knowing any better.”

“Do you know any better now?” Atem countered, eyeing Yugi from the corner of his eyes.

“I…” Yugi bit his lip, unsure. He had spent what felt like a week outside of the palace walls, and everything he had seen had been… Strange. Nothing was like how he was taught the world was like. Everything was different, and somehow felt… Fresher. More vibrant than what he had expected. Like Yugi had been seeing things through a tunnel, and now the tunnel was lifted. He still had his doubts about the other kingdom- this small glance into it wasn’t enough to sway his mind- yet. He felt that he couldn’t shake off the years of nightmare stories and events from just one view of fields and forests.

Atem turned away, taking off down the hill with no warning.

“H-Hey!” Yugi was forced to jog to catch up. It was just like when they left that village, only this time Atem wasn’t in the mood to humour Yugi was answers. He wore a grim expression, like he was barely containing yelling about something he might regret later.

“Did I say something wrong? Atem!” Yugi shouted, trying to get the other’s attention. He was just about to reach out to shake him when Atem spoke up, surprising Yugi.

“It’s that you didn’t say anything. You felt that you couldn’t answer my question in a positive way, and so you chose to remain silent.” Atem’s frown deepened, and he focused his attention back on the path, and the houses that were growing closer. He seemed to be done with the conversation, as he refused to talk anymore until they reached the outskirts of the outpost. He then turned back to Yugi with the one simple order of, ‘stay here- don’t move’ before disappearing amongst the buildings.

Yugi sighed. He supposed he deserved that. He did feel bad for somehow setting Atem off. The other seemed to have some deep interest in the workings of both kingdoms. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was the lovechild of people from the two different kingdoms. And one or both of his parent’s ended up dead from it. Or maybe he really was a merchant, and the war was not fairing his chain of work well. Maybe that was it. Or maybe Yugi was just grasping at straws.

_Sooner or later I’ll find out what his deal is. Until then, I’ll just have to get him to warm up to me, so he stops being so distant,_ Yugi thought. With an assertive nod, he sat down at the bottom of the hill and waited for Atem to return.

* * *

 

Night soon fell, and with it came a drop in temperature. Yugi wrapped his arms around his drawn up feet, chattering his teeth as he tried to fend off the cold. When did it get so cold? It must be an off night- after all he was pretty sure southern weather tended to be more warm.

And where was Atem? He had been waiting at the base of the hill for a good few hours, and it was getting dark. The last glimpse of the sun’s rays had disappeared behind the distant forest tree tops and Yugi was getting worried. Why was Atem taking so long? He was just getting a map, right? He should have been back by now- it didn’t take that long to find one object. And besides, Yugi reasoned, with how long the other had been gone, he had had enough time to have gone into each and every building, explore it thoroughly, AND have dinner with them all before returning. At this rate Yugi would have to go looking for him and-

Suddenly he could make out the shadow of someone slipping out from amongst the houses, making their way towards where he was. As they got closer he could make out Atem’s mop of hair, and soon enough the man was standing over him with a quizzical expression on his face.

“Why are you sitting like that?” He tilted his head to the side.

“Because I’m cold!” Yugi glared at him as he stood up, rocking on the backs of his feet as he ran his hands up and down his arms. “It’s night time and I spent all afternoon sitting here while my legs cramped up. The question is why wouldn’t I be sitting like that?”

Atem’s eyes seemed to grow wider in realisation as he adverted his gaze to the ground. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t realise... I forgot, you’re fully warm blooded.”

Yugi scrunched his face up at that. “What do you mean? Of course I am! All humans are- what are you implying-“

“I mean that I’m not necessarily fully human anymore,” Atem cut him off with a wave of his hand. “I’ve bonded with my beast for a while now, and its characteristics have merged with mine over time. And since my beast is of dragon classification, my body has adjusted to the cold more than a regular human’s. It’s hard to describe the feeling when you’re not a beast user yourself…”

“Well not yet,” Yugi snapped back. “But one day I will be!”

Atem studied him for a moment, his eyes piercing even through the dark. “What makes you think so?”

“What…? What do you mean?”

“Do you truly believe that finding your beast will bring you happiness?”

“Of course I do!”

“Why?”

Yugi stepped back, shooting Atem a suspicious glare. “What do you mean why?” He wasn’t liking the tone the other was using. It sounded calculating, like he was observing Yugi’s answers from afar for some kind of research goal. It almost sounded like how Yami used to talk… _No past tense Yugi,_ Yugi scolded himself. _He still talks like that. He’s still there, don’t think like that, even subconsciously._

Atem glanced around them for a moment before directing his attention back to Yugi. Yugi thought he saw his eyes flicker yellow for a moment in the darkness, but then it disappeared. “What I mean is, that I don’t think you understand what it is truly like to have a beast. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine. You don’t automatically become competent with that kind of power. If anything, you’re more likely to lose your sanity from the sudden influx of power. Greater people have been driven to madness from their beasts, you know. The feeling is like nothing I can describe. The power is like another living being occupying your body, and sometimes it acts on its own accord. Every beast has its own characteristics, and over time they merge with the users. Sometimes they overpower what was the human before, and then they become a completely different person, more beast than man. Do you understand what I am saying, Yugi? Beasts are dangerous things. Do not put aside the threat they pose.”

Yugi shivered, but whether it was from the cold or Atem’s haunting words, he couldn’t tell. Maybe it was a combination of both. Either way, he felt Atem’s words sink down to his bones. It was as if they had pierced his skin, shaking him down to his very core. He had never thought about it that way. Sure, he knew that beasts weren’t easy to control, nor that they were always beneficial to the user- he had heard stories of people losing control of themselves because their beasts awoke too powerful for them to control. But for some reason, the way Atem had said it, and the weight behind each of his words, spoke of some past experience. Yugi wanted to ask the other if he had witnessed something like this happening first hand, or if something had happened in his past that brought up these feelings. Maybe Yugi reminded him of someone- optimistic and excited about the prospect of awakening their beast, but oblivious of the danger they posed.

But Yugi couldn’t find the words. He was frozen, his thoughts racing faster than he could form words on his tongue. He kept spacing out, his eyes glossing over as he thought deeper into the matter. What did this all mean to him? Was it a warning? Of course it was- Yugi could tell Atem was worried about Yugi’s overly optimistic approach to the matter. And Yugi supposed that Atem _would_ know more about beasts, considering not only did he have first-hand experience with one, but he seemed to have lived with his for long enough that its personality had merged with him- something Yugi himself couldn’t fully comprehend. He had never heard mention of something like that happening, of the beats _merging_ partially with the human. But then again, when he thought about it, he really didn’t know _anything_ about beasts.

He had spent his life locked up from the truths of the world, it seemed. Even the merge pickings of ‘facts’ he thought he knew from books he could scavenge in the palace library seemed wrong now. He had lived by the small pockets of information he could find- and the conversations he would have with Yami about them. But the more Yugi thought about it, the more he realised that he had only ever talked about the power side of it. He had never even thought to ask Yami about what he thought his beast would look like, or behave like. The thought never occurred to him- he hadn't realised that beasts were, in a sense, alive.

He sighed, shaking his head with a groan. All these shattering thoughts were giving him a headache. He then realised that Atem had been watching him carefully all this time. His expression was guarded, cutting off any chance Yugi had to try and read his feelings.

“I think,” Atem spoke softly against the darkness. “It would be best to take this matter up later. We should leave and make camp somewhere safer, away from the outpost. I’ll lead the way- I have better night vision.” As he spoke, Yugi saw one of Atem’s eyes reflect back somewhat at him in shades of yellow. So he _hadn’t_ imagined that. He assumed the other was using their beast power to use dragon vision- he also assumed that dragon’s had better night vision than humans, judging by Atem’s words. Yugi didn’t know- but then again, he really didn’t know anything anymore.

Yugi was feeling too weak to answer back anything- both the night’s chill and the overload of information Atem dumped on him draining the last of his energy he had, so he just nodded, letting Atem lead him off into the forest- back the way they had originally come. 

 


	5. No Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been quite distracted with my new AU The Prince and King, which has two chapters up right now, feel free to go check it out! I've been plotting the story for that recently, but TBW still has the majority of its chapters written, so nothing's going to slow it down don't worry B)  
> Title is from the song of the same name by Icehouse. Great song, great band.

They made good time over the next few days. They passed back through the town Yugi had ‘stolen’ fruit from, and headed north along a small trail. It was well used by merchants, but also secluded enough away from the high roads that they wouldn’t run the risk of encountering patrols of soldiers, or large amounts of travellers.

A sudden hand on his chest paused Yugi’s train of thought, and he looked over Atem’s arm to where the other was watching him.

“There are people ahead,” He said in a quiet voice. “We should hide.”

“And why’s that? They’re probably just merchants or something, we’ve passed a few before, no big deal, right?” Yugi frowned. It sounded like the other was worried about something, although what Yugi wasn’t sure.

“I don’t think these are merchants, something feels wrong. I think we should go-“

“You worry too much.” Yugi groaned, brushing Atem’s hand off to strut forward. He had barely walked three steps forward before he heard shouting, and suddenly a group of people emerged from behind a bend in the road.

Yugi froze up immediately when he saw a few raise their heads towards him. It was too late to take Atem’s advice and hide- they were spotted. He heard Atem growl from his side, clearly annoyed that Yugi had ignored him, and now they faced the consequences. _I’ll probably be getting a mouthful from him later,_ Yugi grimaced.

It didn’t take long for the group to reach where Yugi and Atem were rooted to the spot. They seemed to stop just short of them, eyeing the two with glints of suspicion. Up close, Yugi realised that they were all wearing the same outfit. And that wasn’t all- he had a very good idea of what that meant.

“You’re soldiers.” Yugi blinked, the insignia of the kingdom imprinted on their armour more than enough proof to confirm his suspicions.

“That’s right,” One of the soldiers spoke up, walking forward to break apart from the group. He had dark brown hair pulled back in large, uneven clumps, which left tiny strands sticking upwards, much like some of Yugi’s own rebellious streaks. The sides of his hair however, were shaved off, so the focus was all on his top part.  “And who might you be?”

“We are, er, travellers.” Yugi glanced quickly over at Atem, checking for his reaction. The other gave Yugi a curt nod, gone by so fast the soldier in the front had no time to register it, but Yugi was able to catch it.

The soldier just frowned. “You don’t sound so sure. What town are you from?”

“Iswynre. We’ve just been to mourn the loss of a family member that recently passed away in a small town not too far to the south from here.” Atem said smoothly, not looking fazed by the soldier in the least. Yugi blinked, surprised at how fast the elaborate lie had come from the other. He recognised the name, but couldn’t place where the town was. Somewhere out west, he thought, maybe.

“You don’t say. Sorry for your loss.” The soldier bowed his head respectfully. Another soldier stepped forward, placing a hand on the other’s shoulder.

“That’s enough Honda, leave the travellers alone.” The new soldier spoke up. He had coarse blonde hair that sat just below his shoulders and around his face messily. This one had another insignia over his armour, smaller than the one that represented the kingdom, but big enough that the person wearing its position was clear enough. _The captain of the patrol group,_ Yugi guessed. He had done a bit of reading up on the army, but most of the time his attention was more focused on the high ranking officers and knights- not the small fry.

“Sorry for my teammate’s brashness,” The captain said, rubbing his hand over the top of a helmet he was carrying. Yugi noticed that none of them were wearing their full uniforms actually- most just had the chest plates on and maybe some leg armour. “I’m Jou, captain of the patrols around these parts.” He extended a hand in the middle of Atem and Yugi, and when Atem made no move to shake it, Yugi rolled his eyes and slipped his hand into Jou’s.

“I’m… Aaren,” Yugi lied, turning his attention to Atem as Jou released his hand. The other glanced between Yugi and Jou, but didn’t offer his name, shrugging instead. Yugi just internally groaned, scratching the back of his head as he turned back to Jou’s slightly annoyed face. _Way to go ahead and get the captain riled up,_ Yugi thought with distain. “I apologise for my brother’s lack of communication- he is, ah, still grieving for our cousin.” The lie didn’t come as smoothly as Atem’s had, but it helped back up his claim- at least Yugi hoped so.

Jou nodded, and his face slipped back into a thoughtful smile. “Of course, it can’t be easy to lose someone, especially in these times, what with this terrible war going on. In fact you folks are pretty close to the border y’know. Best be careful- you never know when those bastards on the other side are going to attack.”

“We’ll be careful.” Yugi smiled, noticing that Atem had moved, his hand coming to rest on Yugi’s shoulder. But what tipped Yugi off was the way his fingers were digging into Yugi’s shoulder. It was uncomfortable, but not yet painful. It felt… Tense. Why was the other so jumpy?

He kept his smile up regardless, but he risked looking at Atem from the corner of his eye. He appeared normal, staring ahead, not looking at anyone in particular, but the grip on Yugi’s shoulder proved otherwise.

Before Yugi could brush him off, or get his attention, Jou spoke up.

“Well, that’s good. We don’t need any more casualties from this war. Heaven forbid we get more crazy orders from the folks up top over this mess. The sooner it ends the better, right?”

“Yeah…” The soldier’s words sent a pang of guilt through Yugi, and he couldn’t help his thoughts drifting back to Yami. He hoped that the other wasn’t too upset with Yugi’s disappearance. In fact, Yugi had no doubts Yami would be _livid_ over the matter. But he hoped that he had enough control that he wasn’t sacrificing his job over Yugi- or other people’s jobs. _But if it came down to his job or me, which one would he choose?_ Yugi wondered briefly. He knew Yami had worked hard to get to the position he had, but he had also made it clear Yugi meant a lot to him. Yugi was sorry that he couldn’t work out which one Yami would sacrifice to protect the other. _Maybe I don’t know Yami as well as I thought I did._

“Well anyways, we’re setting up camp around here. Were you two heading on? It might be dangerous to keep going- why don’t you join us? I promise we’re not that bad.” Jou said, shrugging lightly with a toothy grin.

“We should keep going.” Atem spoke up, glancing off to the side to hide his face.

Yugi frowned- something seemed off with the other. Did he not like the military? Well as far as Yugi was concerned, they were safe for the night here. He felt like Jou was easy to read, and trustworthy.

“We’re not in any hurry, we can stay the night with you guys.” Yugi smiled at the beam Jou sent his way. He heard Atem mutter something, too quiet under his breath, and chose to ignore it. If the other had a problem, he could take it up with Yugi later, when they were alone.

“Awesome! And don’t worry- we’ll take care of the guard shifts, you two just rest easy knowing us soldiers have your back.” Jou jerked a thumb at the other men, who had already begun to set up their sleeping equipment.   

* * *

 

It didn’t take long for the soldiers to build a fire in the camp, and soon sparks were flying out of it as a blaze started to roar. They set up logs around a safe distance- close enough to fend off the cold of night but far enough away that they wouldn’t risk the flames catching on them. Some of the logs didn’t look so thick after all, and would take to fire with little to no help.

They cooked up several rations of food- nasty looking things with too much salt rubbed into them for their own good, in Yugi’s opinion. But then again, he doubted that any of the soldiers here had ever tasted high end palace food before. He doubted they had ever seen the palace actually.

“Hey Jou,” Yugi started, waiting until the other had stopped shoving food in his mouth to continue. “What is it like being in the army?”

“Why you ask? You wanna join little man?” Jou teased him, a smile spreading across his face.

“No- and I’m not little. Just because I’m short doesn’t mean I’m ‘little.’”

“Right, right. Well, to answer your question, we mainly just patrol the border and areas near it. Towns that are too close by for comfort, things like that.”

“We hardly ever seen any action.” Honda joined in from the other side of the fire, his voice whining in pitch.

“You see plenty of action back home- just not the fighting kind.” One of the other soldiers piped up, causing a burst of laughter to overtake the rest of them. Even Yugi snickered over it- although he didn’t hear Atem join in. The other had made it painfully obvious he didn’t enjoy discussions, and was sitting on the other sit of Yugi’s log, staring into the fire intensely. Yugi was too worried to break his concentration- and besides, Jou was proving a livelier talking companion, so he left the other to brood over whatever it was he was brooding on.

“It’s true, we don’t fight much, but someone’s gotta patrol the border. Can’t have any of the southerners breaking through and invading us, now can we?”

“But I’ve seen the border before, and there’s not even a real fence there. How can you even tell what land is our and what is theirs?”

“Eh, good question. I dunno pal. We just do what the higher ups say, and they tell us to patrol for intruders. We just use border markers that run down the line that they draw on maps, and judge it based on that.” Jou shrugged.

 _Well that’s a lot different than what they tell us on the other end of the scale_ , Yugi frowned. They had strict guides to what land was theirs and what was the enemy’s. It didn’t seem right at all. Jou sounded like he knew what he was talking about, and that he was being honest. So then why was there two different meanings to the same thing? They both couldn’t be right- someone had to be lying. Yugi had a feeling that there was something not all too right going on with the court at the palace. He hoped that whatever was going on there in his absence, that Yami would be okay. He knew how much Yami relied on him to vent out his frustrations with his life as advisor to the king, and without Yugi there as an output, he worried Yami would end up lashing out at someone in court one day with pent up anger.

“What’s got you so curious about the soldier’s life, Aaren?” Jou piped up, shifting the conversation.

Yugi blinked for a moment, before he remembered that that was his fake name he was using.

“Oh, no particular reason.”

“Oh really? Sounds like you’re hiding something.” Jou said in a sing song voice. Although he was only teasing, Yugi couldn’t help but notice the way Atem’s hand clenched up next to him at the soldier’s words. _I better defuse this situation before Atem does some crazy thing, or transforms again_. Try as he might, Yugi couldn’t forget his first encounter with Atem- the way his hands had been covered in crimson scales, and claws double the size of his hands raking through skin like it was paper. The thought alone made him shiver, despite the warmth of the fire.

“W-Well- and don’t laugh, alright?- but I kind of always dreamed of becoming a knight.” Yugi said, bringing himself back to the conversation at hand.

“Hey now, that’s nothing to laugh about. I used to dream of becoming a knight too! Used to dream of what my beast would be like too as a kid, heh. But who doesn’t? Knights get all the glamour and glory- they’re the ones that fight in the war all brave and stuff.”

“Yeah,” Yugi sighed, his tone wistful. “I sure wish I was one.”

“Well, don’t spend too hard wishing my friend.” Jou smiled at him sadly.

“Why not?”

“Because ordinary folks like us aren’t up high enough to get that kind of honour. The only chance we’d get is unlocking our beasts, and we all know the chances of that happening are messy at best. You know they only teach rich kids how to become knights- you gotta be from a high house to become a knight.”

“I…” _I had no idea… I never realised knights only came from houses of high power,_ Yugi thought sullenly, bitting his lip. _I just always assumed you had to do something brave or strong to become one- be good with a sword… I should have known._ Even though he _did_ come from a house (albeit one that didn’t really exist anymore) of high power, he knew he would never be allowed to undergo the training to become a knight.

“Well, don’t let it get to ya too much, you know? Us normal folks might get a chance to shine sooner or later.” Jou winked at him, turning to one of his team that started a new conversation.

 _Us normal folks…_ Yugi thought it over. He supposed in this aspect, he really was the same as Jou- it seemed they both had lost dreams, but still, Yugi refused to give up. He would become a knight. Or _something_. He wasn’t sure how, exactly, but one day he would. Maybe he could get Yami to help him. Sneak into the palace, forge some documents to present himself as a son of a long dead family line without the expectations Yugi had with his, dye his hair… _But then what’s the point? I wouldn’t be me anyone if I tried to change so much._

He looked over at Atem, intent on trying to distract himself from his thoughts. The other was regarding him, his head tilted in thought. He didn’t say anything, but Yugi could tell he had heard the conversation and knew what Yugi was thinking about, so he didn’t need to. Instead he simply nodded before turning back to the fire.

Yugi had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

 

A rough shaking awoke Yugi, and he tried to suppress the groan that escaped him. Only as he opened his eyes, he realised it wasn’t him suppressing the groan- it was someone’s hand over his mouth.

His attention snapped awake, and he tried to sit up, but whoever was standing over him held him down.

“Yugi, quit struggling.” A familiar voice hissed, and Yugi noticed a pair of red eyes reflecting back at him in the dark of the night. He really didn’t know why Atem’s eyes were so prominent at night, but he supposed he was grateful as he sighed through the other’s hand. At least they let him know who exactly was leaning over him, and that it wasn’t someone come to kill him. _And at least they aren’t yellow this time._ That would be even freakier to wake up to.

Atem pulled his hand away and jerked the other arm under Yugi’s shoulder, urging him to stand up. Yugi complied, standing up awkwardly as he rubbed off the last remaining traces of sleep from his eyes. It was then he realised how dark it was- dawn hadn’t even broke yet, he doubted he had been sleeping for long at all before his rude awakening.

“Why are we awake so early? It’s not even dawn.” Yugi yawned half way through his sentence, distorting his words.

Atem still managed to catch his meaning it seemed, for he nodded before pulling a finger over his mouth- a sign to be quiet. “Follow me, we’re leaving.” Was all he said before he took off.

Yugi was forced to trot after the other out of camp, weaving between all of the sleeping forms of the soldiers. Yugi had fallen asleep in the middle of everyone, as Jou had wanted him- as a ‘civilian’- to be in the safest place possible. Atem had been forced to do the same to keep up with their pretence of harmless travellers.

When they were a good distance down the road, away from the soldier’s camp, Yugi cut Atem off, his hands on his hips.

“What was that all about? The sun isn’t even up- we could have at least stayed for breakfast. And won’t the soldiers get suspicious of us leaving without notice?”

“We need to keep moving- we don’t have time to be chatting up every person you meet along the way. They were travelling in the opposite direction- I don’t think they’ll care much for us leaving earlier. Remember- your identity is your biggest secret, and if you get too comfortable with just anyone on the road, you run the risk of letting that secret slip. And besides- I don’t like to stay in one place for too long.” Atem said, shifting his weight onto one foot as he crossed his arms.

Yugi was sad to leave without saying thank you or goodbye to Jou, but he supposed Atem had a point- he didn’t want to risk his true identity getting out. That could spell serious trouble.

He sighed, lowering his hands. “Fine, just don’t forget to use fake names. ‘Yugi’ isn’t a very common name, and I’m sure someone might recognise it somehow.”

Atem nodded calmly, but his expression betraying surprise. “Of course, I did use your name back there, didn’t I? Sorry. What was it? Aaren? Hmph, a strange choice.”

“Why?”

“No reason,” Atem waved him off. “You can call me Kaalio. Now let’s continue forward.”

* * *

 

“Can we do something? This is kind of boring just walking in silence.” Yugi piped up, his hands resting behind his head as he trudged forward.

They had been travelling for two days now since leaving the soldier party, and Yugi was bored of Atem’s silent routine. He knew the other man didn’t want to discuss anything of either of their pasts, but that didn’t leave much else to find common ground on, and Yugi was getting sick and tired of his own thoughts buzzing around his mind.

“What do you propose? I’m not sure what they teach you in the palace, but this is what travelling looks like when you’re not on the back of a horse. And those are quite rare for ‘commoners’ to have.” Atem commented, cocking an eyebrow at Yugi.

“I dunno, just, anything but- Aha! There!” Something on the side of the dirt path caught Yugi’s attention, and he swooped down to pick it up.

“A stick?” Atem frowned, his browns sliding down in confusion as Yugi held up his prize. “Do I _want_ to know?”

Yugi shot him a glare before jumping into a fencing pose. “I meant to use as a sword- to fight! Do some swordplay!”

Atem barked out a laugh. “Swordplay? With _that_ stance? You would lose your head before you had time to swing that puny thing!”

Yugi felt hurt- what was wrong with his stance? He had been practicing swordplay with himself on and off for the past month, in the seclusion of his own room. Even Yami had said he wasn’t half bad, during their training match.

“You feel like you can do better?”

“Oh please,” Atem rolled his eyes. “I _know_ I can.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it mister.” Yugi said cockily.

Atem gave a, ‘ _hmph’_ before shifting himself into a fighting stance. Yugi frowned at Atem’s lack of weapon. He was about to comment on it when something behind Atem began to appear.

He watched in amazement as a bright red dragon’s tail slid from behind Atem, continuing to grow until is rested in the air just above Atem’s waist, the lower half dragging down to the floor.

“Don’t worry, I will only try to disarm you, not hurt you.” Atem said at Yugi’s gawking face.

“Is that your beast’s tail?” Yugi could barely speak. He’d never been this close to someone using their beast power before- aside from the day he had met Atem, but the other had refused to call upon his beast any time after that.

“No.” Came the clipped reply, and Yugi had to look up at the other as he rolled his eyes.

“Of course it’s my beast’s tail- have you seen me ever spawn a dragon’s tail any other day? Now come at me.”

“Well you asked for it!” Yugi said, ducking his head low and he charged in. He sidestepped Atem’s position as he got close enough before thrusting forward with his right hand, aiming to bypass his tail and strike his waist. But Atem was quicker.

With seemingly inhuman speed- and Yugi assumed it was with his beast powers- Atem twirled around until he was behind Yugi, his tail lurching forward to slap against Yugi’s sword hand.

“Ow!” Yugi cried out, dropping his sword-stick instinctively to clutch his hand to his chest. It didn’t hurt that much, like a light tap from a book, but the shock of the attack was enough.

“Is that the best you can do?” Atem frowned, moving around to face Yugi. “You’ll never become a knight with those horrible sword skills- beast or no beast.”

“Well it’s not like I got to train every day you know!” Yugi hissed in response, picking up his makeshift sword. He resumed his battle stance as Atem took a few steps back to distance himself.

“And why is that?” He said, rolling on the backs of his heels as Yugi rushed in to charge him again. He side stepped to the left, flicking his tail blade to face downwards as he pushed the flat of it against Yugi, forcing him onto his side on the ground.

“Because!” Yugi huffed, kicking around blindly until he righted himself on his butt. He pushed off the ground to stand up again, his stick clutched angrily between his hands.

“You’ll never beat me down if you let your anger rule your actions. Try to ease up with your stance. Be more flighty, less solid.” Atem advised, motioning for him to try again.

Yugi just gave a grunt before swinging at the other, coming in low again.

“You see that’s good- using your small stature to your advantage,” Atem nodded, avoiding the swing and blocking the next one with his tail blade. “Most others will swing wide and high and miss you completely. Use the openings they create to land your hits.”

Yugi admitted he was angry, but he would see the sense in the other’s words. He took a deep breath, willing his anger to leave his mind so he could think. He had to stop blindly swinging and study Atem’s movements more- look for the opening.

 _There!_ He thought, seeing the way Atem would step back after he had just moved his tail. He kept up his barrage of attacks, positioning them in a way that made Atem more likely to block with his tail than doge to the side. And it worked, as Atem constantly stepped back to allow his tail the room to move freely.

Soon enough he ran out of room as his back pressed against the tree Yugi had been leading him too. Shock flashed in Atem’s eyes when he realised his back was literally against a wall, and Yugi levelled his makeshift sword at his face. There was nowhere else to go- Yugi had cornered him.

“Does this mean I win?” Yugi couldn’t help the smile creeping up his face. He’d _never_ done this well against Yami before! He almost wished the advisor was here to see this.

He was brought out of his thoughts as he heard a growl, and the next thing he knew Atem’s red eyes had turned yellow, the tiny pupils dissolving into almost nothing. He felt uneasy, and was about to pull back when Atem’s tail jerked upwards, the blade on the tail slicing vertical through Yugi’s stick with ease.

As suddenly as he had happened, it passed, and Atem blinked in confusion at his twitching tail between the two of them.

“What. The _hell_ was that?” Yugi breathed, too scared to move in case the tail blade would come for his neck next.

“Oh god… I’m so sorry. I-I,” Atem’s eyes were wide- now back to their shade of ruby and the pupils human. He looked more terrified than Yugi was. “I can’t…”

“What was _that_ , Atem?” Yugi said slowly, his eyes watching the tail wearily. Atem pushed off the tree, letting his tail retreat and disappear once again- cutting off the summoning power.

Once the threat from the tail was gone, Yugi back pedalled away from Atem, glaring at him in a mixture of fright and anger.

“What the fuck?” He said, not even caring about his language. He remembered saying that at the palace one day, and being punished for his ‘unroyal like vocabulary,’ but right now he couldn’t care less.

“It’s a defence mechanism,” Atem explained after taking a shaky breath. “From my beast. It might have subconsciously thought I was in danger and acted out against my will. I was a bit shocked you had executed that plan against me so flawlessly, and the shock must have triggered it…”

“I thought you said you could control this ‘entity.’” Yugi sighed, dragging his hands through his damp, sweaty hair, trying to calm down the adrenaline his body tried to supply him with.

“I thought I could too…” Atem said quietly- so quiet Yugi could barely hear him.

“What did you say?” Yugi asked, leaning in to try and hear the other better.

“I keep trying to warn you- beasts are dangerous things.” Atem said, shaking his head, some decision apparently made Yugi was not privy to.

“Yeah, I can see that now. You can’t really blame someone who’s never seen one up close though. That was… Something scary.” Yugi admitted.

“I’m sorry, it was cocky of me to use my powers like that. Cause and effect, I guess. Next time you want to spar, we can both use sticks, alright?”

“I… Guess.”

“Can we just forget about this for now? Let’s keep moving, I don’t… Want to talk about it. I need to think.” Atem muttered, looking away as he started walking again.

“Okay… I guess.” _But there’s no way I’m going to forget that anytime soon._ Sooner or later Yugi would find some answers from the other, but until then, he would wait.

They continued to walk in silence, Yugi’s makeshift sword lying on the ground behind them, sliced clean in two.

* * *

 

“Is it really so hard to become a knight?” Yugi wondered out loud, a few days later.

“I wouldn’t know- the ‘knight’ customs are foreign to me. But positions of high power only ever go to those with power.”

“How can you not know about knights? Everyone knows about knights,” Yugi sighed longingly. “They’re the coolest people around- half of them don’t even need their beasts to be powerful and brave!”

Atem snorted, shaking his head. “Well of course you don’t need a beast to be brave- beasts are a false sense of security they drill into oblivious kids’ minds so that they’ll rely on the government for protection while they don’t have one.”

He looked over at Yugi, who was grasping for some kind of comeback to Atem’s words. “Am I wrong?” He asked slyly.

“W-Well, I mean,” Yugi was flustered, and he looked away, trying to hide his face. “How do you know all of this anyway? You say knights are foreign to you, but that only means you’re not from this kingdom. You’re… You’re not from the south, are you?” Yugi turned back to eye the other wearily.

Atem rolled his eyes, scoffing. “Where I’m from doesn’t matter anymore, since I left my home town when I was fifteen and have never returned.”

“What, by yourself? What did you do, run away?”

Atem flinched.

Yugi’s eyes shot wide in realisation- he’d never seen the other jerk so openly in reaction to anything before. “Oh my god, you did… I’m sor—“

“Save it, I don’t need your apologies.” Atem growled, shooting a narrowed glare at Yugi.

Yugi shrank back from the gaze, but he didn’t give in. “Say what you want, but that sounds serious.”

“And I’ve told you not to inquire into my past before. So don’t.”

“I- alright, fine, I won’t,” Yugi bit his lip to avoid adding a quip onto that. “But… How old are you?”

At the look Atem shot at him again, Yugi hastily added on, “No, I mean, I just wanted to know… You said fifteen, and I just wanted to know how long it’s been since…” _Since you’ve been all by yourself._ Yugi stopped himself before he could blurt out anything else to upset the other.

“… I’m twenty one,” Atem answered, shoving his hands angrily into his pants’ pockets. “Now will you stop asking me rude, invasive questions?”

Yugi could tell by his stance and expression that Atem was uncomfortable with the situation, so he let off. “Yeah okay. Look I’m… Sorry I was being so rude.”

“Was?” Atem mumbled, but Yugi didn’t miss the stab at him.

“I’m trying to apologise sincerely here- would you quit it?” When Atem made no move to speak up, Yugi continued. “Look I know we haven’t had the best circumstances, but we really shouldn’t be at each other’s throats all the time. You clearly know more about the state of the world than I do from my little high perch at the palace, but then I know more about things in this kingdom, by the sounds of it. I may have had no idea about the state it was in from outside my ‘perfect little bubble,’ but I at least know how to behave around people to not make them suspicious. In case you didn’t notice, a lot of those soldiers were side glancing you and your mopey routine the other day.

“The way I see it, we both have something the other can benefit from. You know about things I don’t, and I know about things you don’t. So maybe we should try to work together? At least until this journey is over, yeah?”

Atem stopped to regard Yugi, shifting his head around as he was deep in thought. His eyes darted between the ground and Yugi as he hummed.

“You make a good point, however,” He held up a finger, his eyes momentarily taking on a slitted pupil with his next words. “I make no promises after we reach Furenall. Know that you are on your own after this, whether you return to the palace or stay there, I don’t care. So long as you keep your end of our deal.”

“That was our original deal, wasn’t it? And don’t worry- I’ll keep my word.” Yugi nodded, to which Atem lowered his hand.

“Then we best continue on our way.” Atem muttered, and that was the end of their conversation.

* * *

 

Yugi lost track of how many days exactly it took them to reach Furenall, but one afternoon as Atem was considering setting up camp for the night, the peak of a mountain above the tree canopy caught their attention.

Yugi remembered seeing images of Furenall on maps (turns out his geography lessons came in handy after all), and how it had originally been built right next to a mountain in the middle of a field. The plains around this area of the kingdom were lush and glossy- Yugi would even go so far as to say untouched by the war. The city however, had changed since the last time Yugi had seen illustrations of it.

Instead of being built beside the mountain, it looked more like it was being built _into_ the mountain. It was as if someone had tried to push the city into the mountain somehow, as buildings sat littered up one side and a few scattered over the rest of it. The shades of green still covered the surface, and Yugi supposed that it was rather beautiful in a way- the way that the stone colour of the buildings merged with the green of nature. The palace back home may have been grand and colourful on display, but the woods around it were untamed, and often shadowed the beauty (from what Yugi had heard- he was never allowed to leave the palace after all, and had only seen it standing from the inside looking out).

“It’s beautiful.” Yugi sighed, admiring the city from their vantage point on the edge of the forest.

“I suppose- if big cities are your thing.” Atem said. Yugi saw the other shrug from the corner of his eyes, and he rolled them. Figures.

“Nothing impresses you, does it?”

“You grow used to that big city ‘wonder’ when you’ve been to one before.” Atem replied with another shrug.  

“Well I wouldn’t know.” Yugi retorted, crossing his arms to sulk. He wished _he_ had been to enough cities to be able to get bored of them. But then again, if it made him end up as emotionless as the man before him, then maybe he would stick to that childish wonder a bit longer.

“Well have you been here before?” Yugi asked, attempting to strike up a different conversation as they made their way towards the city.

“Once, when I was younger. I barely remember it, but I came here with my-“ Atem paused mid-sentence, narrowing his eyes. “Why am I telling you this anyway? It’s not important.”

“Aww come on, just when I was finally getting to know something about you,” Yugi complained, his tone mockingly upset. “Maybe I would have been able to break through that stone mask you wear.”

“I don’t wear any mask,” Atem flared up in defence. “And besides, I thought you gave me your word you wouldn’t pry into my past-”

“Yeah yeah, about your beast. But is it so wrong to want to get to know the guy I’ve been travelling with for weeks now? I barely know you.”

“And I barely know you- let’s keep it that way.” Atem tried to end the conversation, pushing forward at a faster pace, but Yugi wasn’t taking any of it today. He was done dancing around Atem’s flighty ways, and he wanted so desperately to be able to break through to the younger man.

So Yugi skipped forward around to block Atem’s path, forcing the other to stop to avoid running into him. It seemed to be a common reoccurrence with them.

“Hey- don’t walk away from me!”

“Aren’t we done here? We should keep moving, the sooner we get to the city the sooner we can part ways.” Atem complained, shifting around on his feet as he tapped his foot in what Yugi assumed was annoyance.

So that was it, was it? Atem just wanted to be rid of Yugi? “Am I really that annoying that you’re so eager to get rid of me? Is that all I am to you? An annoyance?”

“Among other things- yes, you can be.”

“I can’t believe you! Why are you so cold to me? Damn even Yami wasn’t this cold, and that guy is practically ice!” Yugi stomped his foot. He was getting angry. Atem was just so frustrating, he seemed to purposely bring out the worst in Yugi every time without fail.  

“Who is Yami?” Atem frowned, missing the supposed stab at him. Yugi mentally groaned. Of course Atem didn’t know who Yami was- they’d never met.

“He’s a… Friend.” Yugi said lamely. He could feel some of his annoyance towards the other dissolving already. He just couldn’t seem to stay mad for long, and he instantly regretted his outburst. _If you could call it that,_ Yugi thought, mentally beating himself up. Getting angry over seemingly nothing, and not even having the guts to follow through with his anger. That summed up Yugi quite well.

“I… See,” Atem coughed into his hand, getting Yugi’s attention. “Listen, I’m sorry. I know I can seem… Inconsiderate, and somewhat distant. I’m just not used to travelling with others, and I’ll admit, I mainly agreed to this so I wouldn’t feel bad about leaving you behind in the middle of nowhere. Call it a guilty conscious if you want. Although my conditions of a peace treaty still remain- I do want to see that happen.”

“But then why does it feel like every chance you’ve gotten has felt like you’ve tried to brush me off?”

Atem made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded half way between a growl and a whine. “Because I haven’t been around ‘other people’ for so long. I don’t have good people skills, okay?”

“But you seem to know how to deal with every situation.” Yugi frowned, confused. Atem always carried himself well and poised. He didn’t understand how the younger man considered himself ‘unsociable,’ when from Yugi’s point of view he was anything but.

“Look, can we just head into the city now? It’s going to start getting dark, and they close the gates at night. I think.”

“Okay,” Yugi relented, giving in. “But this conversation isn’t over, alright?”

Atem just grunted in response, stepping around Yugi to continue toward the city.

Satisfied that his point was made, Yugi followed him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we're finally getting somewhere now! And a fight scene finally! It's kind of fun to write these fights from Yugi's POV, and when he freaks out so much he just swears ahaha. About time we got to see Atem's beast- even a small bit- again.  
> The next few chapters should be interesting as the duo hit Furenall, and more fight scenes I promise~ B)


	6. Right on the Target but wide of the Mark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I kind of skimped through my edit of this chapter, so if there are any mistakes (in any chapters actually) feel free to let me know. Sometimes things slip past me that I don't pick up. Anyways here's chapter six B) Oh look almost half way done, cool.  
> Chapter title is from ABC's Poison Arrow.

 

 

Up closer, Furenall was more impressive that Yugi had originally thought. Maps really didn’t do the city justice.

Buildings were arranged in scattered formations around the ‘front’ (where the entrance to the city was) of the mountain. Towards the outskirts, houses and shops were single story, but the closer you came to the heart of the city, the more cluttered and higher the buildings rose.

There were several distinct roads stretching over the length of the city, visible even from a fair distance outside. They were like giant white scars, cutting through the skin of the buildings. Most of the two storey places hugged the edges of the streets in a way that Yugi assumed meant they were the busy areas of the city. Probably places of trade with shops.

The few houses that sat bolder, higher up on the mountain looked extravagant and massive. They probably belonged to rich people. _The richer you are, the higher up you go,_ Yugi rolled his eyes at the notion.

He turned to say something to Atem, only to pause as the other’s gaze was on him. “What are you doing?”

Caught staring, Atem mumbled something under his breath, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just watching your reactions. It’s… Refreshing.” He said vaguely.

“Why, because of my ‘childish wonder?’” Yugi said mockingly, a smile creeping up his face at Atem’s confused look.

“Your what?”

“Oh nothing, nothing,” Yugi waved his hand, brushing Atem’s question off. “So where to?”

Atem paused for a moment, a hand resting on his lips as he pondered the question. “An inn, perhaps. While we work out what our plan of attack is.”

For what, Yugi couldn’t tell. Plan of attack? He thought that Atem would look for the first chance to slip away and take it. He was under the assumption that they would part ways in Furenall. A quick glance towards the other didn’t reveal anything either- Atem’s mask of casual boredom was in place.

He hated to admit it- but he wasn’t sure what he would do if Atem left. He had been relying on the other as a source of information all this time throughout their journey, as a way to help him understand more about the world that he had been closed off to. He had come to trust the other somewhat- although he still really didn’t know anything about his past. But then again, Yugi guessed it didn’t really matter. It was the present and looking to the future that mattered, not the past, right? He thought someone had said that during one of his lessons one day. Or perhaps it was in a book somewhere.

Either way, he had grown used to Atem’s presence. He was almost saddened by the idea of not being about to banter with him anymore, or argue over small details. He felt like he barely knew Atem, but there was something there Yugi wanted to know more about.

“There will be a few on the main street. Let’s find one that offers something affordable. Will you be able to deal with sleeping in the same room?” Atem asked, cocking an eyebrow at Yugi.

“I don’t see why not.” Yugi replied, although the idea did seem a little weird. He had been camping with Atem the entire time they travelled, sure, but it had never really felt like they were sleeping _close_ to each other. A room was so much different though. That meant that they possibly had to share a _bed_ together. _Isn’t that a thing only couples do?_ Yugi thought, a split second of panic shooting through him before he could squash it down. It wasn’t that big of a deal. People would just assume they were travelling companions, and it wasn’t like Atem cared about that at all. What was he to Atem anyway? A friend? A companion? Just an annoyance? He wished he could ask the other, but he didn’t want to deal with his evasive manoeuvres and the way he would dance around questions. It wasn’t worth the effort to rile him up.

“Let’s be off then.”

* * *

 

They found an inn that would satisfy Atem’s desires on one of the huge main roads. It was a crowded two storey building, shoved between two other ones, almost identical with their framework. A sign hanging from the door was the only indication that it was an inn.

Inside the building didn’t offer anything special or different either, but it seemed a quaint and comfortable space.

Atem took the lead, striking up a conversation with the barkeeper behind the counter. They haggled for a price for a room, and eventually an agreement was made as Atem was handed a key.

“Let’s go.” Atem nodded at him, and Yugi followed him up the stairs to the next storey. Atem paused in front of one of the doors in the hallway, fiddling around with the key and lock before it slid in, and he turned it. The door swung open welcomingly, and they entered. It was a small room- not even a desk in one of the corners, although there was a chair below the window.

“I guess they keep the room sizes small to shove more in.” Yugi said, testing the bed. It was a single size, but then again, Yugi wasn’t sure what he had being expecting. It wasn’t like an inn that looked nothing special out the front would boast extravagant beds. _You get what you pay for,_ Yugi guessed. Although he hadn’t been the one to pay, he had to admit- it was Atem. Atem had been buying everything during their journey, and Yugi hadn’t even bothered to ask him why he had the money, or to really thank him for it. It was then he realised Atem had been talking, and he missed the start of the other’s sentence.

“-Sleep light, so if anyone tries to enter, I’ll know. So you can snore away- I’m sure you’ve missed the comfort of an actual bed, right?”

“Uh, sure. Okay.”

Atem raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t comment on it. “And plans can wait until tomorrow. For now, we rest.”

Yugi hummed in agreement. He pulled his legs up onto the bed, shuffling forward until he was close to the head of it. It was a good thing the both of them weren’t too tall (Yugi never thought he’d be grateful for his short stature, but it seemed to be a reoccurrence recently), for it meant they could both fit on the single bed with enough room.

Atem eyed the bed with a frown on his face. His expression was a mixture of emotions, but his gaze overall was skeptical.

“This was your idea,” Yugi spoke up, causing Atem to flinch. _Wow this guy can be strangely jumpy for some reason_ , Yugi noted. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep to my side.”

Atem didn’t respond, instead slowly climbing onto the bed and repositioning himself until he seemed comfortable. His back was to Yugi, so he couldn’t see the other’s expression anymore. _He sure does know how to keep me guessing._

He curled up at his end of the bed, giving Atem one last glance before closing his eyes to sleep.

* * *

 

The next day Yugi decided to spend exploring what the city had to offer. He didn’t have any money, so he couldn’t go shopping. Instead, he simply walked around the streets, absorbing everything that was happening.

He walked down rows of shops, and some market places, just to see how everyone acted in them and how full of people they were. Nobody really paid him any mind either, except for the occasional glances at his hair that were quickly shrugged away- and Yugi was grateful to be invisible.

He eventually stopped for a while in a plaza square. There was a grand fountain in the middle, water shooting out of some kind of irrigation system underneath. Yugi sat on the rim of the bowl, gazing down at his reflection thoughtfully. It was nice to be able to stop and not have to worry about anything for once. To just let his worries ebb away as he stared at his image wavering in the water. _My hair could really use a cut,_ he observed, reaching up to tug at a particularly long strand of hair.

A sudden burst of laughter followed by loud clapping caught his attention, and he pushed off the rim, navigating towards the source in curiosity. Around the other side of the fountain was a small crowd of children, all gathered around one man standing in front of them.

The man was wearing a suit of armour, and it was shining brightly with the reflection of the sun’s rays. The kingdom’s insignia was blazing in red paint on the breast plate.

“Oh wow! A real live knight!” Yugi said excitedly, his interest peaking immediately. He hurried closer, just in time to catch the knight’s next words.

“That’s enough for today I’m afraid- can’t expend the beast too much, you know. Any questions from the crowd before I go?” The knight asked, his gaze sweeping over the kids. Immediately a bunch of the children shot hands into the air, fighting to say, ‘ _me!_ ’ the loudest.

Yugi couldn’t help the twitch of excitement that raced through him at the announcement. A knight with their beast? This was a chance Yugi just couldn’t pass up!

He moved closer, standing on the edge of children bouncing excitedly around.

“What kind of beast do you have?” He called out eagerly.

The knight turned to regard Yugi, his face morphing into a slight frown. He probably hadn’t expected an adult to join in. “The kind doesn’t matter kid. Only that it’s powerful!” Or maybe not. _There’s no way you’d confuse me as a kid when you’re surrounded by them,_ Yugi thought bitterly before squashing the emotion back down. He’d let it slide this time, since it was a knight. 

“Of course the kind matters- they all have different abilities and powers. A faster beast could defeat a more physically dominating one- with the right amount of training, of course.” Yugi rambled.

“Right, of course. One sec kids.” The knight muttered, walking through them to come stand in front of Yugi. He leaned down close to Yugi’s ear, shooting a sideways glance before speaking.

“Listen kid, you’re really throwing off my groove here. Bug off would ya?” He whispered, force behind his tone.

“Your groove? I’m sorry what?” Yugi felt his face scrunch up in confusion. “You’re a knight, aren’t you?”

“It’s just a title kid- now leave before you cause more trouble.”

“But don’t you fight? In the war?”

“There is no war here in Furenall. Don’t make me cause a scene here, alright?”

“But you’re a knight! You’re supposed to be all about protecting the people.”

“Be quiet! You want to cause a scene?” The knight growled, shoving his arm roughly around Yugi to pull him closer. Yugi knew he didn’t smell the most pleasant himself, from all the travelling he had been doing, but this knight smelt _worse_ somehow. It was over powering and just plain unpleasant.

“I don’t understand- I was taught that knights were the protectors of the military force.” Yugi muttered.

“This isn’t some kind of fairy tale- this is the real world. Everything isn’t song and dance here kid. Now seriously, if you’re going to be a thorn in my side, we’re going to have a problem here. Do us both a favour, and just scram, okay?”

The knight didn’t wait for a reply, motioning with his hand for Yugi to leave before turning back around to address the children.

 _What was…?_ Yugi was at a loss for words. His mind wasn’t sure how to process what he had just encountered. Instead, it was desperately trying to ignore it, as if it was too frustrating to try and work out.

He left the fountain square, not wanting to stick around anymore. His high hopes were gone, and instead he was staring down at the pavement, as if it would offer him the answers he needed. Or wanted.

He almost missed the entrance to the inn, but managed to look up in time as he was forced to step out of the way of a cart passing through the street. Yugi headed straight for his and Atem’s shared room, finding the door unlocked as Atem was already inside, seated in the chair by the window.

“Ah- he returns. Did you enjoy your first time in the city?” Atem asked.

Yugi ignored him, instead favouring planting his face into the mattress. 

“…Is that a no?” Atem said, his voice softening.

“I’m not sure. It was alright I guess.” Yugi offered, raising his head enough to say the two sentences before dropping it again.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing to worry about- it wasn’t anything significant.”

“Would you like to talk about it?”

Yugi wasn’t sure what it was- maybe it was the sincerity he heard in Atem’s voice, completely devoid of the usual stoic seriousness. Maybe it was the soft tone. Whatever it was, it made Yugi feel like he _should_ talk about the experience.

“Alright, fine,” Yugi sighed, flipping over onto his back. “I ran into a knight in the city.”

“And? Where you not happy with this encounter?”

“They… Weren’t what I was expecting one to be like.”

“Ah,” Came Atem’s reply. He paused for a moment before speaking again. “What were they like?”

“Mean. I think he was lying about having a beast too. To a bunch of kids, no less. He got really pushy when I started to lecture him about beasts.”

Atem snickered at that, hiding his mouth behind a hand as Yugi shot him a look. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I could see you, doing that. Lecturing a knight- someone you look up to- about beasts. I wonder where your passion truly lies, then.”

“Does it matter anymore? I thought they were supposed to be untouchable ideals about goodness.”

“All men and women die eventually- no one is untouchable, Yugi. Not even a god.”

“I know. But I just…”

“Corruption and lies spread very easily during a time of war. People can become swayed by the promise of power, and do things that are less than morally right. It happens even to the best of us- beast or no beast.”

“I guess.” Yugi muttered lamely. He couldn’t be bothered thinking on this right now. In fact- he really didn’t want to talk about it that much in the first place. It felt like a personal problem, and Atem never shared his- so why should Yugi share? “I think I put knighthood too high up on a pedestal. It became a goal- a driving force, more so than the actual occupation it was.”

“Do you think, perhaps, what you need now is a new driving force? A new goal?”

“...Maybe.”

Atem hummed in response, but didn’t speak. He probably could sense how tired Yugi was, and was reluctant to press the conversation further. At least, that was what Yugi hoped.

“I’m sorry- I’ll be fine come tomorrow. I’m just going to stew for the rest of the day while I think about this before forgetting about the whole experience.” Yugi muttered, turning onto his side, his back facing Atem.

“As you wish.” He heard Atem say quietly.

* * *

 

“A dojo?” Yugi piped up, his attention raised.

He was sitting at a table near the inn’s bar with Atem, his mood drastically better than yesterday. He had managed to wipe most of the event from his mind- still able to recall it, but it no longer felt heavy on his heart.

A man was having a rather loud discussion with the barkeeper, and Yugi had been eavesdropping when he heard them mention the place.

“Yeah, some kind of place about beast power or something.” The guy leaning against the bar counter said, only glancing at Yugi for a moment before turning back to the barkeeper.

“Wow really? Where is it, if you don’t mind me asking?” Yugi added, trying to contain his excitement. Could it be? A place that trained people with their beasts? He had heard of dojos before, but he never would have thought he’d get the chance to _see_ one.

“It’s on the other side of town- off the main business road. It’s pretty close to the upper district, but it’s near the shops.” The man waved, clearly not interested in continuing the conversation.

Yugi just thanked him, turning back to Atem, who didn’t even look up at him, scowling into his soup.

“Let me guess.” He held a finger up when Yugi opened his mouth to talk. “You want to go check it out.”

“Well, yeah, duh. It sounds like fun! Imagine, watching people train with their beasts.” Yugi said dreamily, swirling his spoon around his own bowl.

Atem sighed. “Sounds like a waste of time. It’s probably nothing more than a hoax.”

“You say that about everything though.” Yugi shot back.

“Since when have I said anything is a hoax?”

“You’re always saying something or other is wrong, or pointless, or-“

“Alright fine, if you want to go then go! Just stop nagging me.” Atem groaned, sinking down in his chair like a child pouting over a dinner they didn’t like. Yugi couldn’t help the small chuckle at the imagery.

“Are you going to come?”

“No, it doesn’t interest me in the slightest,” Atem said, blowing a bang out of his face. “I’ll just hang around here for a while.

“Well… Okay then. Feel free to stop by, though.”

“Noted.”

Yugi waited an extra second to see if Atem would say anything else, but he just stared at Yugi blankly. _Alright then,_ Yugi thought, getting up to leave.

Once outside, he turned right, beginning to walk up the road to the richer districts of the city. He only stopped a few times on the way, asking some people who looked friendly which way the dojo was. Soon enough, after passing down a few wide side streets (he was surprised he didn’t get lost actually, he must have been getting better with his sense of direction), he was standing out the front of an extravagant building.

The building itself was made from dark brown bricks, and the back of it seemed to blend in with the buildings surrounding it. The front had some small streaks of gold and yellow painted into sections, probably to help bring some appealing colour to it. Although, if Yugi hadn’t been looking for the place, he doubted he would have stumbled into it by accident. It was far enough out of the way that it wouldn’t run the risk of window shoppers and unneeded attention coming in. 

Walking up to the double doors that marked the entrance into the building, Yugi saw ‘dojo’ carved into a sign hanging from the wall, and again carved onto the doors.

“This must be the place.” He said as he pushed open one of the front doors. It groaned in protest, but gave way nonetheless.

Inside the lighting wasn’t the best, Yugi would admit, but overall it felt very homely. The floorboards weren’t sleek like in most high end places (the ones that didn’t use stone that was), and were sturdy to stand on. He assumed that the grip they had from not being waxed meant they would support quick turns and added traction.

In the middle of the room there were two people fighting. They were about the same height, a woman and a man. The woman had long wavy blonde hair, and currently had the man in a headlock. The man also had long hair, but it cut off below his shoulders, shorter than the woman’s, and it was white. He was struggling in what seemed to be vain to break the lock, but the woman’s hands held firm. It was then Yugi realised her hands weren’t normal- in fact they had _claws_. A quick glance at the man revealed a similar sign, with one of his arms covered in dagger-like spikes.

“Oh wow, beasts!” Yugi gasped in amazement. This was an actual place they trained beast powers!

“Oh, a guest. Take five hun.” The woman said, looking up at Yugi as she released the man from her hold. He tumbled away, regaining his footing before heading out a door, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck and grumbling something.

“Hey there kiddo- what’s your name?” The lady asked as her powers began to disappear, leaving her normal human hands in its place.

Yugi flushed. “I’m not a kid! I’m twenty five I’ll have you know! And the name’s Yu-Aaren!”

“Oh wow, you look a lot younger than that. That’s a good thing you know, most people like looking a lot younger than they really are. In that case I guess you really aren’t- except I’ve still got two years on you- Yu-Aaren was it?”

“Just Aaren.” Yugi clarified. He couldn’t believe he had almost let his name slip. _I seriously need to get used to this. Maybe I should make Atem use my fake name, even in private._

“Well anyway, my name’s Mai, nice to meet you. So what can I do for you? You lost?”

“L-Lost?! I told you I’m not a kid! I’m here because I heard you train beasts.”

“Oh, little Aaren is not so childish after all!” Mai laughed. “I would have never pinned you for having your beast, but then I guess it goes to show you shouldn’t make assumptions. What kind you running?”

“What kind…? No, I don’t have my beast- yet. I was kind of hoping that you could help me awaken it.”

“Oh,” Mai blinked, her smiling wavering. “Well um, it’s kind of not that easy. It takes a lot of effort to unlock your beast. And time, a lot of time too. I mainly train those who already have theirs.”

“But can you teach me? Like, is it possible?”

“I don’t know. In theory perhaps. If someone wants their beast, I usually just train them vigorously. Either they’ll summon theirs eventually, or they’ll give up.”

“Can I try?”

“You think you’re hot enough to stand against me?” Mai smiled down at him, her hand on her hip.

“Well I mean, I don’t have my beast. But I’m alright was a sword.” Yugi beamed.

Mai just snorted in response. “Hun a sword won’t do you any good against someone with the power of a beast. Unless they’re very bad or inexperienced with their beast. But if you’re up against someone who knows what they’re doing with that power, then you’re screwed with just a puny _sword_.”

“Well… Can you teach me then?”

“What? How to beat someone’s beast with a sword? I think not.”

“What about just some practice rounds then? I could use some practice.”

Mai seemed to weight up her options, tossing her hair around as she thought. Soon enough she shrugged, saying, “Alright fine, but if you get hurt no crying okay?”

“I won’t- I’m not a kid.” Yugi frowned, looking around the room for anything he could swing like a sword. There were some barrels in the corners of the room, but they were empty- probably used as target practice or something.

“Here, use this.” Mai spoke up from the other side of the room, throwing over a piece of wood. Yugi caught it, examining it up close. It looked like something that had been used as a floorboard, but was broken and disused for a while.

“Don’t you have any training swords?” Yugi frowned, tossing the wood in his hand to get a feel of it.

“Yeah, but you gotta earn that. Come on, let’s see what you’ve got.” Mai beckoned him forward.

Her arm began to warp and change, growing bigger. Her nails grew twice as big until they formed into claws. The skin bubbled up too, changing into a harder, scaly texture. A few feathers sprung out from under the arm, some green and some shimmering blue. They merged into teal at parts too Yugi noticed. It looked a lot like the feet of a chicken, like the ones Yugi had seen in the pens just outside the palace courtyard before.

 _Why does it feel like months ago that I fought an actual sword on sword battle?_ Yugi groaned inwardly. _No use complaining I guess._

He sized up Mai, looking for the best vantage point to attack. Obviously her hand was the place to stay away from, but if she could do it with one hand, she could form claws in her other just as easily. He would need to see how she fought before he could find an opening. This time he didn’t have any trees to use like he had with Atem. The hall was empty.

Suddenly Mai lurched forward, swiping with her clawed hand just in front of Yugi. Yugi’s head snapped back instinctively, and he swallowed nervously. Was she _trying_ to kill him?

“Look sharp kiddo. In a real battle, no one is going to stand around waiting for you to attack first. You gotta think _and_ attack.”

“Alright.” Yugi nodded. Mai immediately launched into another attack, her aim low. It looked like she was aiming for his legs, probably to throw him off balance and end the fight quickly. _Too bad I’m smaller,_ Yugi thought with a smirk.

He dashed to the side, missing Mai’s swipe by a mile. Her eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but she quickly recovered, coming in from her other side this time. She reached for Yugi’s stick with her non-transformed hand, but Yugi dodged backwards again. He wasn’t sure how much room he had left, and he didn’t want Mai to back him into a corner like he had with Atem the other day. He edged to the side, side stepping as he looked for an opening.

Mai did a good job of hiding any obvious ones, he had to give her that. She seemed to keep light on her toes, maintain a fast form to land quick blows. He wasn’t as fast as Mai with her beast powers, and he didn’t have the advantage of surprise for his speed now- Mai would be matching him every step of the way, and probably beyond. So time wasn’t in his favour for this fight, he had to find a way to end this quickly.

Mai came at him again with a thrust, her clawed hand aimed at his stomach. Yugi didn’t stop to think if she would continue through once close enough- he dropped to the ground, rolling around before springing into a couching position.

“You have to attack me sooner or later- you can’t win a fight just dodging!” Mai said, turning around to face him again. Her back was to the wall now, but she was still too far away for Yugi to use it to his advantage at all.

It was then he saw it- the way Mai would put more weight on her feet when she lurched forward to attack with her claws. Every other time she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, but in those moments she was stationary with her feet planted firmly on the ground. This was the opening he needed!

He sprung up onto his feet, just in time to dodge another swipe, this time aimed at his head. He had to act fast, or Mai’s superior speed would beat him.

He feinted a dash forward, falling back as Mai tried to block an attack that never came. When she realised he had swooped to the other side of her, she turned around in a twirl, lashing out with her claws to try and rake his side. Yugi kept spinning around her, forcing her body to twist to meet his, one of her feet suspended in the air as she pivoted around. Soon her leg couldn’t turn anymore, and she was forced to readjust her footing and bring around her other foot to steady her. Yugi saw his chance, diving forward and, using the plank of wood, he pushed it against her stomach, using all of his body weight against it to force it forward.

With her trying to balance mainly on one foot, Mai couldn’t support the pressure Yugi was exerting towards her, and so she fell backwards onto the ground. Yugi took his makeshift sword into one hand and held it above Mai.

“This means I win, yeah?” Yugi said, unable to keep the smile from creeping up his face.

“Y-Yeah… It does.” Mai blinked, her eyes wide in shock.

“Cool! So, how did I do?” Yugi moved off of Mai and she stood up, retracting her beast powers from her hand.

“You did good kid- you just gotta learn to think on the go, just remember it _is_ a battle, and the enemy won’t stop and give you the time you need to work things out. They’re studying your weaknesses as much as you’re studying theirs.”

“Okay.” Yugi nodded, handing back the plank of wood. Mai took it and promptly tossed it over her shoulder, shrugging at Yugi’s shocked expression as it hit the ground somewhere far behind her.

“Don’t need it anymore- you can use an actual sword next time if you want. I have a friend who works here too that knows some stuff about sword fighting- you can train with him next time. Although we do have to work on your fighting spirit a bit.”

“My fighting spirit? What do you mean?”

“You’re too defensive, if you keep dodging around like that the enemy will realise what you’re up to and be able to stop you. You need to maintain an offensive _and_ a defensive. No beast is purely defensive- you have that power for a reason, so you might as well use it.”

“I don’t agree with that.” A familiar voice spoke up.

Yugi whipped around at the voice to find Atem standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Ah, Kaalio!” Yugi called out, taking a second to remember the other’s fake name.

“Excuse me, but I don’t appreciate some random person coming into my dojo and criticising my work.” Mai spoke up, eyeing Atem wearily.

“I’m not criticising your method, just your ideology.” Atem explained, walking up to the two in the middle of the room.

“And how is that any better?” Mai’s lip twitched downwards in the makings of a frown. “You got a problem?”

“I just don’t appreciate you filling my… Friend’s head here with those kind of notions about beasts. They are not just offensive sources of power. If you only try to harvest the bad in that, you will be corrupted by that power.”

“What do you know about beasts anyways?”

“I know enough.” Came Atem’s clipped reply.

“Ah, so you wield the power of one,” Mai hummed understandingly. “For how long though? You don’t look that old. A fledging, then, perhaps? Let me guess, you got your beast through, ‘hard work and dedication’ or something like that, right kiddo?”

“Don’t call me ‘kiddo’- I’m not some young kid who doesn’t know how the world works.” Atem growled in response.

“Oh please, how old are you? Twenty one? Two? Three? You and little Aaren here look about the same age. You can’t really hide it, _kiddo_.”

“And what do you know? You’ve probably lived your whole life sheltered in this city. Do you even know there’s a war going on outside?”

“It’s a small man that assumes things so broadly like that,” Mai tossed a hand through her hair, smiling sweetly down at Atem. “You don’t know anything about my past, and I don’t know anything about yours. I could have some sick, twisted thing that happened when I was younger and scarred me for life. How do you know I wasn’t attacked by someone with their beast as a kid? Or something worse? You shouldn’t assume things about others.”

Yugi could tell that Mai was only saying this to ruffle Atem up, but it seemed like the other didn’t realise this.

“You say that I shouldn’t assume things, but then you go and attack me with your assumptions!” Atem snarled, stepping forward.

“Aww, did I hurt your feelings little boy?” Mai fake pouted in a mocking tone. She didn’t step back, instead pulling up to her full height, almost as if to rub it in to Atem’s face how much shorter he was.  

“You want to go, _kiddo?_ ” Mai smiled. Yugi could tell the two were getting ready to butt heads.

Atem’s eye colour was beginning to recede into yellow, and Yugi could see his tail beginning to snake around from his back, lashing impatiently on the floor. His hands started to get bigger too, his nails extending into claws. His expression was grim- he looked ready to let lose.

Mai looked equally ready to brawl, her beast leaking out of her at her summons. Her arms began to grow feathers underneath them, and her hands morphed into claws as well- a lot smaller than Atem’s, but still looking equally as destructive.

There was a moment of silence, neither moving to make the first strike. The amount of tension in the air was enough to frizz their hair.

“Maybe you guys should just-” Yugi didn’t have time to finish his sentence, as as soon as he began talking, the two charged at each other.

Atem thrust his hand against Mai’s stomach, pushing her back. It gave him enough room to swing his tail, but Mai saw the move coming, pushing back on her feet to reclaim the distance. Atem growled in annoyance and changed plans, drawing his fists up to slash at Mai’s arms. She had enough smarts about her to swing her hands back, and Atem’s claws batted harmlessly against her feathers.

They traded a few blows with clenched fists before Atem tried swiping with his claws again- this time aiming for Mai’s chest. She smirked, clearly expecting his actions, as she pulled her entire upper body back, her leg beginning to take on the same form as her arms as she kicked forward, hitting Atem clear in the stomach.

He coughed, falling back a few steps as he tried to regain his footing.

“Had enough yet?” Mai smirked, grating two of her claws against each other. It made a horrible screeching sound, and even Yugi had to cringe at it. It seemed like another tactic of Mai’s to throw her opponent off. And it seemed to be working. Atem’s expression was growing darker, and his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Only once justice is served.” He spat, flexing his hands before diving forward.

There was something different about his attacks now- they seemed more frequent and aggressive. Yugi could tell that Atem was getting frustrated, and his more calculated moves were beginning to slip. He was getting clumsy with his wild swings, and Mai must have noticed too. She must have planned for it, for when Atem swung too wide and left himself open, she pounced. She flung herself backwards and once again kicked against Atem’s stomach. If Atem had been paying attention, he would have picked up on the signs, but as he was, the kick connected and he was flung back again.

Mai laughed as she stood over him, her foot resting on his chest. “Looks like I win kiddo. Maybe you should head on back to that meditation, or whatever it is you do for your beast, hmm?”

Yugi let lose a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding. These kinds of fight scenes were always a lot scarier up close, and when you knew one of the people fighting. Yugi had seen tournaments at the palace before, but he never knew the people fighting. And besides, they were more for show than for actual skill testing. This was something different. These two looked like they’d been in fights before, and neither wanted to back down from the challenge.   

Suddenly Atem’s tail shot up and coiled around Mai’s leg. It yanked her upwards, and forced her back to slam against the ground painfully. She groaned, trying to get her bearings, but as soon as she was down Atem jumped up to a squatting position.

He pinned her down, his tail blade resting above her neck and a clawed hand poised behind him, ready to bring down to her chest. He growled low in his throat- a warning sound.

“Atem stop!” Yugi yelled before he could realise what he was saying. His eyes shot wide and he clamped his hand over his mouth when it dawned on him. He’d used Atem’s real name!

Mai shot a confused look over at Yugi, while Atem tilted his head much slower, his narrowed, yellow eyes piercing Yugi to the core.

“Please just, look at yourself.” Yugi gestured towards the other.

Atem paused, looking down at Mai. Suddenly his eyes widened, and he scrambled off of her, hopping back until they were a fair distance away.

“I…” Atem blinked rapidly, his eyes returning to their average colour.

 _It’s just like when I beat him with our sword play,_ Yugi thought, watching the way Atem was staring at his hands fearfully.  

“You did it again. But why?” Yugi said quietly, almost to himself. He closed the distance between him and Mai, offering her a hand to help her up.

“It’s alright Aaren, I’m fine, just a little shocked I guess.” She brushed him off, kicking on her powerful beast’s legs and righting herself. Her altered limbs began to return to their normal human size as she dusted off her clothes.

“Can’t say I was expecting to be in a near death situation. I thought you were preaching about control earlier.” Mai said with a frown, looking up at Atem.

“I… I’m sorry, I just.” Atem stuttered, falling over his words.

“Sounds like you have a bad case of not being able to take a loss, hun. You or that beast of yours. You ought to work on that, really.” Mai tutted.

“Yes I know… I’m sorry. I never meant to… Go so far,” Atem glanced behind himself quickly before adding, “I’ll see you back at the inn, Y-Aaren.”

And then he was out the door faster than Yugi could yell, “wait!”

“It sounds like he needs some time to think about his actions,” Mai spoke up, reminding Yugi she was beside him. “Don’t spend too much time worrying about him kiddo. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Yugi stared off at the door, chewing on his lip.  He really should follow Atem to make sure the other was alright, though. He understood Mai’s reasoning, but still, he felt like he should just check on him at least. He wasn’t sure Atem would be alright, left by himself.

“I should just check that he’s alright,” Yugi said, looking back at Mai as she walked forward. “I’m sorry, can I come back tomorrow for more training?”

“Of course- you’re always welcome here. I’ll make sure my friend is here tomorrow to teach you about sword play, okay? Your friend is welcome here too, it seems he has some lessons to learn as well.” Mai nodded at him, smiling.

“Awesome, see you then!” Yugi waved goodbye before jogging out the door, following the route back to the inn at a steady run. He wondered if Atem was finally ready to tell him what was wrong. Something was clearly upsetting the other, and it kept manifesting in the form of his beast.

It didn’t take him long to return to the inn on the main street, and before long he was standing out the front of the door to their shared room.

He rose a hand to the door, knocking on it lightly to alert Atem to his presence. He didn’t feel it wise to just barge into the room, he didn’t want to scare Atem into doing something on impulse. But he also wanted answers. He knew he had promised he wouldn’t push at Atem’s past, but there was something going on with the younger man, and Yugi was getting worried. Whether it was worry for himself or the other, he couldn’t say. Did he fear what Atem could do with that power uncontrolled? Or was it the damage he could cause himself with it?

He heard a shuffling noise from inside the room, and then a voice called out, telling him to come in. Grasping the doorknob, Yugi entered the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a weird chapter, well it was for me writing it, because I wrote the scenes out of order and had to string them together afterwards. Oh but hey, Mai finally shows up. Five guesses what her beast is, phft. Er, sorry for the cliff hanger at the end there too. See ya next week~


	7. Obstacles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess I did leave you guys on a bit of an annoying cliff hanger back then. Or maybe it wasn't? Either way, here's the new chapter!
> 
> Chapter Title is from the Syd Matters song Obstacles, because I am Life is Strange garbage.

 

 

The door creaked open, and Yugi slipped inside, pushing it closed behind him.

Atem was sitting on the chair near the window, staring out it with glassy eyes.

“Let me guess, you’re here to ask me what happened,” Atem spoke up, his eyes not leaving the window. “Well don’t, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I think you do.” Yugi walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I thought you gave your-“

“Look I know what I said, but that doesn’t matter right now! You need to talk about this.”

Atem finally moved his head, tilting it towards Yugi, but only half way. “You’re right- it doesn’t matter. To you. Now leave me alone.”

“What’s with this sudden moping around you’re doing?” Yugi frowned, putting his hands on his hips. “This isn’t like you. The quips at me, sure, that’s normal, but this self-loathing routine? What is this all about?”

Atem made a half straggled groaning sound, turning back around to face the window. “You wouldn’t understand what-“

“Oh don’t start this crap with me. ‘I wouldn’t understand your suffering’ my ass,” Yugi couldn’t stand the mopey frown the other was sporting, but it was better to at least see the way the frown deepened at Yugi’s brass words. “Just because I spent my life sheltered from most of the outside world, doesn’t mean I can’t understand how you’re feeling. Give me a chance. You listened to me yesterday, so let me listen to you.” He softened his words towards the end. He wanted Atem to tell him what was going on, but he didn’t want to force him to the point where he withdrew away from it.

“Why do you care anyway?”

“Because I’ve been travelling with you for a while now, and I’ve noticed this problem has been affecting you. You try to hide it, but after our sword practice the other day, it’s painfully obvious something’s wrong. I’m not an idiot, I can see it you know.”

“I know you noticed,” Atem said quietly, turning to face Yugi finally. “I was just hoping you would leave it alone, but judging from your over curious nature, I guess it was only a matter of time.”

“So? You’re finally ready to tell me what’s going on?”

“You’re making it out to be something serious and life threatening. It’s just… I guess I thought I could control my beast, but now I see I still need more training. It disturbs me, how easily I lost control- not once, but twice. I thought I had better control over it.”

“Over your beast? Why don’t you ask Mai for help?”

“I don’t know.” Atem replied, glancing down. He was staring at his hands, turning his fingers into his palm back and forth in a repetitive motion.

“You should- it could be the help you need.”

“I think,” Atem sighed, dragging his hand up to his face. “I need to go back to the mountains, where I trained. I’m not as… Stable as I think I was.”

“You seem fine to me. I think you’re overreacting to all of this.”

Atem snorted. “You saw what I did- or nearly did- _twice_. If I keep losing control like that, one day I might… Not come back.”

Yugi thought back to that night outside of Rinew, and what Atem had told him about people losing control of beasts. It sounded like Atem had a very concrete view when it came to beasts, and Yugi didn’t think he was going to change it any time soon. But he needed to make Atem see that running away wasn’t the answer either.

“You can’t just run away from your problems.” Yugi sighed, moving to sit on the bed opposite Atem.

“Aren’t you doing the same?”

That threw Yugi off balance. “What…? I’m not running from my problems! I don’t have any.”

“What about your role at the palace? Won’t they be looking for you?”

“I never really had a role. I was just a trophy walking around, waiting for the day when I would be pawned off for some alliance or something in a faraway kingdom, probably, to aid in the war. Something like that. They taught me things they thought I should know. But it wasn’t what I wanted to learn.”

“What did you want to learn?” Atem asked, his full attention directed at Yugi. Yugi took a long sigh, pulling a leg up onto the bed to rest his hand on it, his head in his hand by extension.

“Swords, about the war, how to become a… Knight…”

“I never did ask you why you wanted to become a knight. I suppose it was only fair, however, since I never let you enquire into my past. Why should I expect you to tell me yours?”

“If you asked nicely, I probably would have told you,” Yugi hummed. “I wanted to be a knight because to me, they represented everything I could never have. They were strong, just and fair, and everyone loved them. They had respect. If I could have become a knight, I could have escaped from my life. It’s as simple as that. Although I guess it isn’t anymore, since those ideals aren’t true.”

“Ha. Nothing is ever simple anyway, Yugi,” Atem said. “I understand that well.”

Yugi nodded, not really having anything else to add. He felt like the conversation had shifted enough now that Atem would be okay with whatever was on his mind now.

They sat in silence for a while, feeling too awkward now to break it was it stretched on. Eventually Yugi figured there would be no way to not break it awkwardly, so he spoke up.

“I’m going back to Mai’s dojo tomorrow. Do you want to come...?” He offered.

“I’ll think about it.” Atem promised, glancing back to the window. Yugi decided to leave the conversation at that, figuring Atem had enough on his mind for now.

* * *

 

Yugi walked back through the doors of the dojo the next morning. Mai was in the room, talking with someone else. Looking closer, Yugi noticed it was the man from yesterday, with the long white hair.

“Oh Aaren! Welcome back!” Mai said once she noticed him. She waved him over. “This is my friend I was telling you about yesterday. Ryou, this is Aaren. Aaren, meet Ryou- our resident sword expert.”

“I wouldn’t say expert,” The man- Ryou- laughed, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. “But I am experienced. Nice to meet you Aaren.” He held out a hand which Yugi took, shaking it.

“Nice to meet you too. I saw you fighting yesterday- with Mai, right?”

“Uh yeah, I was. You don’t miss a thing.” Ryou smiled at him.

“I was just so captured by both of your beast forms.” Yugi admitted.

“Ah, you saw that huh? Of course, ha. You got yours?”

“No, that’s why I’ve been practicing my sword skills.”

“Ah, master the sword before the beast- a man after my own heart here,” Ryou nodded in approval. “I did the same thing. Don’t worry, your beast will come to you. If not, then at least you have the sword with you- train well, and it will never let you down.”

Yugi was practically bouncing with the idea. “Can we start now? I’m just, really excited at the idea.”

“Yes, I believe we can.” Ryou looked over at Mai, who nodded at him.

 “Don’t worry hun, I’ll go get your swords.”

“The wooden ones if you will, thanks. Just until we get a good idea of your skill level.”

Mai walked off, slipping into another room only to remerge a few moments later with two bundles under her arms.

“So Aaren,” Ryou said, taking the two swords from Mai and handing one to Yugi. “How would you describe your experience with the sword?”

“With a wooden one? Rather well.”

“And a normal sword?”

“None, I never got the chance to wield one.” Yugi sighed.

“You trained in other dojos or arenas?”

“No, just with a friend in the… Previous place I lived at.”

“I see,” Ryou nodded. “Well I think that’s good enough for our start. Let’s see how your stance is.”

Yugi immediately slipped into his standard fighting pose, his legs stretched apart and his right arm in front of him with the wooden sword.

Ryou walked around him, examining his stance. “Your arm is too far out, pull it back a bit. If you went for the first attack with your arm that far out you wouldn’t be able to cause much damage. Go lose instead, stab quick and short so you can put weight behind it. Forgive me for saying so, but you’re fairly short. Use this to your advantage. Use speed to land more hits, and direct your opponent to where you want on the field. Let’s see you in action now.”

Once Ryou had returned to facing Yugi, he wasted no time launching forward. He swiped low, aiming for Yugi’s feet- a similar strategy to Mai.

Yugi stepped back, watching Ryou’s hand movements to see if he could get an advantage to his next move. He never got the chance though, as Ryou used the momentum to flick the sword up, straight into Yugi’s stomach.

He was thrown back a few steps before he doubled over, groaning at the pain.

“You have to be quicker when dodging. You have to both dodge the opponent’s attack and counter it. Otherwise, you’ll be dodging all the time and never attacking.”

“Right.” Yugi nodded, scrambling back up onto his feet.

“Again.” Ryou beckoned him forward, and Yugi hesitated for a second. _That was what Yami said to me…_ Yugi shook his head, willing the thoughts away. _No time for that now._

He flinched when he looked up, realising Ryou was standing right in front of him, close enough that Yugi could butt heads with the other man.

“You’re distracted, and that will cost you your life in battle,” Ryou explained, stepping back, but not before lightly tapping Yugi on the head with his wooden sword. “Try again.”

This time Yugi didn’t waste time on thoughts- he dove forward, trusting his sword straight forward. Ryou countered with his sword, hitting it in the middle of Yugi’s and directing its force downwards. With Yugi’s sword touching the ground harmlessly, Ryou brought his up to rest against Yugi’s neck.

“And you’re dead again,” Ryou said, dropping his sword. “I think I have a good idea at your skill level now. You’re not bad, and you have a good idea of how to watch your opponent for their weakness- I know since Mai told me how you fought her. But sword fighting is all about balance. You give as much as you take, and right there I was giving more than you were giving me. Try to match my strikes, keep me on edge too. If a person feels like they’re going to lose a fight, they’ll get sloppy and make moves they usually wouldn’t. And that’s when you can strike the final blow. Of course, if it’s not one on one, and you’re fighting in a battlefield, that’s a bit different. But, you wanted to learn to fight against beasts, and just sword fighting in general, no?”

“Yeah, it just sounds like a good thing to know. I want to get better with the sword, but at the same time, I want to know what to do up against someone with more power than me, like a beast… If I can’t awaken my beast, then I want to be able to match one in a battle.”

“Then you use your size against them. Most beasts are either powerful with strength, likes brute force, or they are fast, or sometimes both. That will be one of the first things you must look for during a fight. While staying alive, of course.”

“Right. It all sounds like so much to learn, but I think I’m getting the hang of it.” Yugi beamed.

“You’ll get used to it,” Ryou smiled at him. “Let’s start with some basic exercises in blocking and parrying.”

* * *

 

They spent the whole day going over the basics, and practicing executing them. Yugi found he was a lot better at dodging oncoming attacks, but he hadn’t quite gotten the hang of attacking on the comeback.

Ryou let him keep the wooden sword, telling him to practice even when he wasn’t at the dojo, even though Yugi said he wanted to come back for the next few days at the least. The room in the inn was fairly small of course, but Yugi thought he had enough space to be able to practice some swings in it.

He thanked Ryou, promising to return tomorrow as he begun the walk back to his and Atem’s inn room. He had to admit- thinking about the other, he didn’t really know why Atem was still here. Did he have business here in the city? Was he waiting for something? Why _was_ he here? He should really ask the other when he got back. Although if Atem left, then Yugi would be out of a place to sleep. _If that happens, I might have to… Go back to the palace,_ Yugi thought. He didn’t really want to go back- he was having fun here in Furenall. People treated him better here, and didn’t belittle him like they did in the palace. _Well not all of them,_ a voice in the back of his mind told him. And that is the one reason he couldn’t completely cut himself off from the palace.

He wanted to, he really did. But Yami… He missed his friend, he really did. In his own strange way, Yami had been Yugi’s pillar to lean on. He had never admitted it, really, and he wished he had. Maybe it was the way Yami would sometimes do or say strange things that would keep Yugi from saying it. But he still should have. He had been worrying about Yami on and off since he left. What would happen if he suddenly returned? The king would be angry, for sure. Yami would be upset as well, but after the initial shock he would hold Yugi so hard he’d never want to let go.

But Yugi didn’t want to be protected like Yami seemed to think he needed to be. But maybe if he went back and got to explain himself, he might be able to make them see his reasoning. _Or maybe nothing would change, and I’d be back to square one, locked in my room with lessons teaching me nothing,_ Yugi thought glumly. _In that case, it would be better to never go back._

A sudden loud neighing sound snapped his attention back to the present. He stopped just in time for a horse to barge past him, the rider glaring at him. He hadn’t realised he had made it back to the main street already.

 “Sorry!” Yugi called after him. _I better head back to the inn now._

He looked around the road, trying to find his bearings. He then noticed a building he hadn’t seen before. It was strange- the building looked the same as all the rest on the outside. There was nothing different about it that stood out, or would make it more eye catching, but still, there was _something_ Yugi felt.

He walked up to it, noticing that the shop didn’t have the usual display windows to show off merchandise. Was it even a shop? It had a sign out the front, although the text was faded slightly. It looked like the owners didn’t bother to try and perk it up at all for sales. Yugi was immediately intrigued by the idea. He grasped the doorknob, pulling it open and stepping inside.

The inside was _completely_ different to the outer. It was covered in trinkets and antique artefacts everywhere. They all seemed to be unique, every item Yugi looked at was different form the last.  

“Might I be able to help you, young one?” A voice spoke up behind him, causing Yugi to jump. He turned around to see a woman standing behind him. She was smiling, her eyes soft and welcoming.

“Uh, I’m not sure. I kind of just walked in here by accident.” Yugi said sheepishly.

“No one walks in here by accident,” She said calmly, threading a hand through her long black hair. “It is all as it should be.”

“Um… Okay.” Yugi smiled awkwardly. This lady had a strange roundabout way of speaking. He wasn’t sure what she was trying to imply.

“Don’t worry, I simply mean that you walking in here was guided by fate.”

“Fate?” Yugi echoed, frowning.

“Ah, I did it again,” The woman chuckled, shaking her head. “I apologise. Sometimes I just can’t pass up the change to mess around with someone new. Where are my manners? My name is Ishizu.”  

“I’m Aaren.” Yugi smiled. Ishizu nodded at him, her expression thoughtful.

“What an interesting meaning behind your name. Are you aware of it?”

“Uhh, no, not really. It’s just the name I was given.” Yugi scratched the back of his head.

“I see. Well in either case, it’s very beautiful. Very… Suiting, I feel.”

_Suiting? How can she think it’s suiting when we’ve never met before?_ Yugi wondered. This was one strange lady.

“Okay, I should probably go actually. I’ll be late to meet my friend…”

Ishizu perked up at that, her eyes widening a fraction before narrowing again slightly. “Oh of course, I understand. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I hope you don’t mind me asking. I saw you the other day at Mai’s dojo, and I was curious about your friend who left just before you. The same one you’re now going to meet, correct? Might I ask his name?”

Yugi flinched. Wow, nothing seemed to get past this woman. How did she know all this? Was it all just assumptions? She was beginning to make Yugi uneasy- he would have to be careful. And maybe even ask Mai about her.

“Yeah it was,” He flashed her a smile. “No problem at all- his name is Kaalio.”

“Ah, I see. The name doesn’t sound familiar to me, I must have mistook him for someone else. Well, enjoy the rest of your day then, young Aaren.” Ishizu said, bowing before she moved into another room out the back.

_What a strange lady,_ Yugi thought as he walked out.

* * *

 

“Hey.” Yugi said in greeting as he entered the room. Atem was sitting on the chair again, his legs crossed underneath him as he leaned on the window sill. It wasn’t like there was anywhere else to lean anyway, with no desk in the room.

“Welcome back.” Atem muttered from his place. Yugi walked over and flopped down on the bed, stretching out with a groan.

“Long day?” Atem asked.

“You could say that,” Then Yugi remembered his encounter earlier. He figured it was worth mentioning. “Hey, I think I might have run into someone who knows you, maybe.”

Atem stiffened, snapping his head towards Yugi immediately, his bored expression wiped clear off. His eyes were wide. Suddenly Yugi didn’t think it was such a good idea to casually mention it. “What!? You can’t just say that! Tell me who it was!”

Yugi scrambled up to lean on his elbows, regarding Atem’s expression. “Okay, calm down. I told them your fake name anyway, and they said they probably got you confused with someone else.”

“What did they look like?” Atem said. He was still on edge it seemed.

“It was a woman, and she had long black hair. Oh, she said her name was Ishizu.”

“I…” Atem’s eyes widened again- a feat Yugi didn’t think possible- before closing with a groan. “Damn it Ishizu, you had me worried there. What is that woman doing here?”

“So you do know her?” Yugi blinked in surprise.

“Yeah, she lives in the mountains to the far west. I trained with her during my time there. I would have never suspected her to be here, in Furenall.”

“Maybe she’s visiting.”

“Did you see anyone else with her?” Atem pressed.

“No, it was just her.”

“Hmm,” Atem nodded, mainly to himself as he relaxed back into the chair. “This is strange. If she saw me with her own eyes, then she knows it was me, regardless of what she told you. If she needs to see me, or tell me something, she’ll fine me. I wouldn’t worry about her- Ishizu is nice, and fair. She must have _some_ reason for being here. She _always_ has some reason behind her actions.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Yugi nodded. Ishizu had seemed like she was running the store Yugi had walked into on accident. Maybe she had moved here from the mountains. He didn’t feel inclined to tell Atem anyway, in case it set the other off again.

“You seemed so tense before I described her. Are you-“

“No, I’m not some kind of wanted criminal hiding from the authorities, I can assure you,” Atem glanced over at him. “I merely have certain people I’d rather not see again anytime soon, lest they force me into roles I don’t want to fill.”

“What do you mean?”

“They want me to be something I’m not.” Atem sighed, looking down.

“I can relate,” Yugi said, leaning back to stare at the ceiling. When he felt Atem’s eyes on him, he elaborated. “Remember what I said about having to learn and behave a certain way? And not being allowed to train and learn about becoming a knight, which is what I wanted to do?”

“Ah, you are right,” Atem hummed, a smile appearing on his face. “It seems we do have some things in common.”

“Ha! You sound surprised.” Yugi laughed.

Atem paused, looking over to observe Yugi for a moment. “I guess I am. Perhaps, I underestimated you.”

“Oh? Is this an apology?” Yugi smiled wryly.

“It might be.” Atem admitted.

“Well, then I suppose I owe you one too.”

“What for?”

“For being just as much of a spoilt brat as you were a cold asshole.” Yugi snickered, enjoying the flush on Atem’s face.

“I was _not_ a cold asshole! I was just being distant and guarded to someone I didn’t know very well- and for good reason. How was I to know you were being truthful? Maybe you were a spy or something, I don’t know!”

“Me? A spy? Imagine that- I had the wrong goals all my life. I should have trained to be a spy instead. An assassin even.”

Atem snorted at that. “You, an assassin? Please, I think not. You’re too loud- your target would hear you coming a mile away, chattering about beasts and swords.”

Yugi gasped in fake shock, bringing a hand to his chest as he sat up again. “You wound me, to say such hurtful things about a friend.”

“Ha! Try a different occupation then- one you’d be more fitting too.”

“Well knight is the first option,” Yugi nodded to himself, bringing the hand from his chest to rest under his chin thoughtfully. “But now… I’m not sure. I suppose I could go for master of the sword, and teach my own students how to sword fight one day in the future. Can’t say I’m fitting for much else- a teacher of history, perhaps, because of the amount of useless knowledge I seem to know from my equally useless lessons.”

“I wouldn’t call them useless,” Atem hummed. “Given a few years of better training, you could be a wise king with that knowledge.”

“Who, me? Now I _know_ you’re joking. The price of grain in the kingdom is hardly worth the throne.”

“You say that, but for someone who lived in the palace all their life, you don’t seem to know how much useless knowledge the king needs to know.”

“And what, you know all this?” Yugi joked.

Atem deadpanned at him. “I wouldn’t be caught dead learning grain prices for any kingdom. I don’t even know the competitive pricing for horses or wagons.”

“Horses are about twenty silver pieces, wagons- depending on the size and strength- run about two gold, maybe even four if they’re good.”

Atem blinked at him in shock. Yugi shifted under his stare, a nervous smile on his face.

“What?”

“I can’t believe you know that. Damn you weren’t kidding- you do know a lot of strange things.”

“ _Useless_ things. Like when am I ever going to need to know that?” Yugi shrugged, rolling his eyes.

“You never know,” Atem smiled wryly at him. “It could be useful one day.”

“Yeah right- if that day ever happens I’ll give you a favour.”

“Ah- I shall keep you to your word then,” Atem’s eyes shone at him. “Any kind of favour?”

“Keep it safe for the kids.” Yugi teased. Atem’s face immediately grew red, and he coughed into his hand to try and hide it. He was lucky his skin wasn’t pale like Yugi’s, where a blush was far more visible, almost like a giant sign pointing right at Yugi’s face when it happened.

“I-I wasn’t even thinking like that! Show some decorum!”

Yugi laughed at his expression- he couldn’t help it, Atem seemed so shocked by Yugi’s assumption.

“Whatever you say, O mighty dragon wielder.” Yugi bowed mockingly.

“Hey, leave my dragon out of this.” Atem narrowed his eyes.

“Your _dragon_ , huh?” Yugi said, trying hard not to burst out laughing at that. Atem seemed to miss the joke, as his already narrowed eyes grow smaller, his face skeptical as he tried to work out what Yugi was implying with his tone. Yugi just matched his expression with a raised eyebrow, a cocky grin on his face.

“What does that mean, I know you’re trying to imply something here.” Atem said finally, unable to work out the joke himself.

“Five guessed.” Yugi said, motioning with his hand downwards. That seemed to work, as Atem’s blush came back full force, his eyes bulging.

“I’m sorry, my _what_? Yugi! Don’t be so vulgar!”

Yugi couldn’t supress his laugher anymore- he howled as he fell back against the bed, kicking his legs in the air. “A-Atem! Y-You’re so funny, oh gosh, how- how do you do it?”

“Do what? Speak sense man! You’re acting very strange!”

“W-What, never heard anyone laugh around you before?” Yugi teased. Atem just huffed, ignoring the comment. Yugi couldn’t even give another quip- he was still giggling too much.

“Stop that.” Atem hissed, glaring at him.

“I can’t.” Yugi wheezed, clutching his stomach. It was beginning to hurt from all the laughing.

“Whatever, you’re totally lying.” Atem grumbled, pulling his legs up under him as he stared out the window.

_He looks like he’s sulking,_ Yugi thought with a snicker.

“I’m not laughing _at_ you, I’m laughing _with_ you!”

“What’s the difference? Besides- I’m not laughing.” Atem muttered.

“Not much. But hey, it wouldn’t hurt you to smile you know.” Yugi said with a smile of his own.

Atem looked over at him, but didn’t say anything immediately. He just stared at Yugi for a moment before turning back to the window.

“I don’t make promises I’m not sure I can keep.” He said finally.

“Oh… Okay then.” Yugi hummed, staring back up at the ceiling. It was like their conversation had been dropped in a bucket of ice, cutting off anything else. _I wish he would stop shutting me out like that,_ Yugi sighed. It was getting late, he might as well sleep now anyways. He could wonder about the inner workings of Atem’s locked mind another day.

* * *

 

Over the next week, Yugi kept returning to Mai’s dojo. He spent most of the days training with Ryou, but occasionally Mai would appear to help out. He got better with his sword arm, and sometimes Ryou even gave him a shield to see how he’d go with it. He spent less time dodging his opponent’s attacks, and more time blocking with his sword to swing back at them.

Ryou also taught him the best ways to disarm a foe- in case sometimes Yugi found himself in a situation where he couldn’t or didn’t want to kill a foe. Yugi confessed he felt a bit squeamish over the idea, and Ryou sympathised with him, but told him he might be in a situation sometime where if he didn’t kill his enemy, then they would kill him. It gave Yugi a lot to think over, and a lot to practice with.

“Keep going like this hun and you might be the conversation piece of everyone in town.” Mai spoke up, flicking her arm as it returned to human skin, signalling the end of the training session. It was only mid-morning, but Yugi assumed she had other students to train- or something along those lines.

“Aww shucks, I’d rather keep training here than deal with so many people around me.” Yugi chuckled awkwardly.

“Come now, you’re built for this kind of thing! A face like that could charm anyone. Enough fame and even the new king might notice you.”

Yugi froze at that, trying hard not to let his smile drop. “N-New king?” He choked out. New king?!?!? The king had been on the throne for years- there’s no way anyone would consider him ‘new!’ That must mean… It couldn’t be…

“Oh, hadn’t you heard? The old king was caught in an assassination not too long ago,” Mai said, looking slightly guilty over Yugi’s shocked face. “Some new guy took over, I don’t know all the details. Not many people here in Furenall actually care about what goes on in the palace, you know.”

_Oh god, a new king?_ Yugi thought, the sudden influx of emotions threatening to weigh him down. _An assassination? Was it the same night I was taken away? What is happening! Oh god is everyone else okay? Is Yami okay? Is he…?_

“Hey are you okay? You’re looking a little pale all of a sudden.” Mai’s voice came to him, the tone worried.

“Uh… Yeah, I’m okay. I guess I just got a little shocked is all.”

“Did you know the old king?”

“I guess you could say that. Not very well though, but I had met him before.”

“Ahh, I see,” Mai nodded, her expression softening. “Did you want to stop training early today?”

“I think…” Yugi bit his lip, not sure how much he should say. “I think I might need to disappear for a few days. I have something I need to take care of, and an old friend to check up on.”

“Of course Aaren, if you have things to take care of that’s okay. Ryou and I will still be here when you come back- if you come back.” Mai smiled at him.

“I will, I just need to see how my friend’s doing in another town. Okay?”

“You don’t need my permission kiddo- you go to your friend, and I’ll be waiting for you when you get back. So will Ryou. But don’t skimp out on your training you hear me? I expect you to come back even better.”

“I promise I will.” Yugi grinned at her, and she ruffled up his hair, regardless of his protest.

He said goodbye, asking her to give his regards to Ryou before he left. He wasted no time letting his thoughts or body wander- instead jogging straight to the inn and dashing up to his and Atem’s room.

“Atem, I need to go back.” He said as soon as he opened the door. Atem was on the chair- where he seemed to be most days- did he even leave? Or do anything here? Yugi realised that he had never asked Atem what he did the week they were here. But now he supposed it didn’t matter.

“What, to Mai’s? You don’t need my permission,” Atem said jokingly, turning around to glance at Yugi. Then he seemed to notice Yugi’s serious expression, for his smile dropped. “What’s wrong?”

“The palace- I need to go back.” Yugi mumbled, looking around the room. He didn’t really have any possessions- safe the wooden sword Ryou had given him. It meant less to carry, at least. He wasn’t sure what to do about food though- but he could work that out later. He needed to get back there and see for himself what was happening.

“But why? I thought you said you were done with that place.”

“The previous king was assassinated. I think it might have been the same night I was kidnapped. Something’s happened at the palace, and I’m worried about Yami.”

“The king was killed? I hadn’t even realised… Wait, Yami? Your friend?”

“Yeah. I just need to check that he’s alright. I’m really worried.”

“And if he is? What will you do then?” Atem asked. Yugi noticed something in the other’s tone that was different. Atem was looking directly at him, and there was some kind of emotion in his eyes. Was that disappointment he saw there? Sadness? He couldn’t tell- Atem was trying too hard to block it off.

“Are you upset I’m leaving?”

“What? No. You’re an adult- you can make your own choices.” Atem muttered.

“You _are_! You’re upset!” Yugi didn’t meant to sound so excited by the idea, but he was touched Atem cared about him so much.

“I am not! Stop exaggerating this,” Atem grumbled, crossing his arms. “If you need to go, then so be it- I won’t stop you. Our deal is over anyways- I got you to Furenall, and now you have to follow through with your half of it. I dare say going to the palace would make it a lot easier to convince the new king- whoever they are- to the treaty.”

Yugi paused. Truth be told, he had forgotten about his and Atem’s original deal. He had forgotten most of their original meeting in the first place. But he never forgot the fact that Atem had killed two men that night to save him. For all the putting down he had done to himself, Atem was more powerful and in control than he gave himself credit for. Yugi wished he had thought of that to mention during their conversation the other week.

He looked back up at Atem, but the other man wasn’t looking at him, his eyes blankly staring out the window.

“Where will you go?” He asked quietly.

“Back to the mountains to train.” Atem answered immediately.

“I guess that’s that then,” Yugi sighed, crossing his arms as well. “This is where we part.”

“Don’t make it sound dramatic- we were always going to part.” Atem said, his voice low.

Yugi didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. What was said, was said. Atem clearly liked goodbyes as much as Yugi did- which was none, to say the least. It would be easier for him to just leave. And so he did.

“Thank you- for everything.” He whispered before he sped walked out the door, not giving Atem a chance to respond.

He left the inn, his wooden sword grasped tightly in his hands in front of his chest. He walked with his head bowed, watching the cobblestones that made up the road as his feet gilded over them. He was keeping an eye out for anyone in front of him, but he didn’t want to make eye contact at all. He just wanted to leave the city already.

“Leaving so soon, young one?” A voice spoke up in front of him. Yugi jumped backwards just in time to avoid bumping into the person in front of him.

It was Ishizu, smiling at him with her hands clasped one over the other in front of her.

_How does this woman just keep appearing out of nowhere? Sure, I wasn’t paying attention to anyone, but damn she just_ appeared _._ “Hey, you know I’m not that young.”

“Of course, forgive me. I don’t speak to people much, and generally they are all younger than me. An act of habit, you could say. Unless you are pushing thirty as well?”

Yugi blinked, his eyes comically wide. “Thirty? No, I’m not. Okay, in that case I guess you have the right to call me young.”

“You are heading out now? By yourself?”

“Yeah, my friend has other plans, so we’re splitting up. I might not be back.” Yugi smiled sadly.

“I see. Well in that case, please take care of yourself,” Ishizu nodded at him. One of her hands reached into the sleeve of the other, and it returned with a small pouch in it. “This is for you.”

“I can’t accept that.” Yugi said, shaking his head.

“It would be a great deal ruder if you didn’t.”

“I…” Yugi frowned, staring down at the pouch. It had to be full of coins- Ishizu was giving him money for his journey. Money he needed to get anywhere. It would take him a few days, maybe even a week to reach the palace, and without money he wouldn’t be able to buy food along the way.

“Alright, I’ll take it, but I’m going to have to pay you back sometime, otherwise it won’t feel right.” He said as he took the pouch from Ishizu, stuffing it into one of his pants’ pockets.

“There’s no need. If you hurry, you can catch a ride with one of the stock wagons that deliver supplies to the palace.” Ishizu said with a wave as she walked forwards around Yugi.

“Wait, how did you know I was heading to the palace?” Yugi called out in shock.

“Atem is still at the inn, correct? I think I’ll go see him now.” She said, not waiting for an answers. She turned around and winked back at him, and that was the only thing she was willing to say as she disappeared behind a building.

“How did she…?” Yugi tried comprehend how this woman could have known all this. Not just his destination (although that creeped him out the most, he had only mentioned it to Atem and no one else) but also that his friend was Atem. _How does she know so much?_

He decided it would probably be for the best if he didn’t think into it took much- not without Ishizu there in the flesh to answer all of his questions. _Atem can deal with her now I guess- I have a palace to reach. What did Ishizu say about stock wagons again?_

He figured it was worth asking around outside the stables area near the outskirts of town. If he could get a ride to the palace, it would shorten his trip immensely. _And then I can find out what happened while I’ve been gone,_ He thought grimly. He would have a few days to think about everything before he arrived anyway.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's chap seven done! Hope it was okay. See you next week~


	8. If it Rains it pours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn these updates are starting to catch up to where I actually am writing this fic ahaha. But I'm on the last chapter, so there's still a few weeks left for me to get my butt into gear and finish this fic off. This, and the next chapter were originally one, but I had to split them (they were sitting at like 9K and that is a LONG chapter ahaha). I kept fussing over them both, but my friend says the chapters are fine, so hopefully they are and I've just been staring at it too long ha.  
> Chapter title is from the Aviators song Impossible

 

“Ishizu.” Came Atem’s greeting when he felt another presence in the room. It felt familiar- something he had read the aura of before, but he knew it wasn’t Yugi, because Yugi had already left the city. And he didn’t want to think about it for too long.

“Atem, I see your senses are as sharp as ever.” Ishizu replied evenly. She closed the door, choosing to lean against it as opposed to sitting on the bed- Atem didn’t offer his chair, and Ishizu didn’t mind.

“Would probably be dead if they weren’t,” He remarked, turning around to look at her, a hand resting over the back of the chair. “You look the exact same you did when I left- are you sure you’re not a ghost?”

“Contrary to what you may have believed when we met- I am actually mortal. Just because I act with the power of clairvoyance doesn’t mean I’m some kind of supernatural being.”

“Oh no, because seeing glimpses of the future is an everyday skill,” Atem rolled his eyes. “Why are you really here Ishizu?”

“Yugi left just before for the palace. You should really be going with him.”

“How do you know his real name is Yugi? I know he told you our fake names. Mine may have been easy to see through, but you don’t know him. Or do you?” Atem narrowed his eyes. In all his years spent with Ishizu and her brothers, he had never heard any of them mention anything about the palace of this kingdom. He couldn’t imagine Ishizu had a reason to know Yugi’s true identity- but then again, Ishizu made it a constant point to prove him and everyone else wrong with how much she knew about the world.

“I’ve seen visions of Yugi before. He is a very interesting young man- although he’s not that much younger than me I suppose.” Ishizu hummed, a smile creeping up her face at some distant memory she had that Atem wasn’t privy to.

“Of course- visions, I should have known.”

“I’ve seen you too recently Atem. You should be careful.”

“I would rather not know how my future will go.” He admitted, glancing back towards the window. What was he even looking for amongst the bricks and partial bit of sky he could see from it?  

“Hmm, well either way, knowing it won’t stop it happening. There are certain events that won’t change whether you know about them or not.”

“So why are you here then? Why are you even in Furenall in the first place?”

“I was here because I knew you’d be here. And I had some people I had to meet with.”

“Ishizu, for once would you stop leading me in circles and just tell me what you want?” Atem said with a groan.

Ishizu stiffened at that, glaring at Atem’s lack of patience before sighing. “You’re always so impatient when it comes to talking about yourself. Very well then, I’m here to tell you that you should follow Yugi. He shouldn’t be heading to the palace alone.”

“And why is that? Our deal is over as far as I’m concerned- I fulfilled my end, and he better be going to fulfil his. And besides- he made his choice to leave. I have no reason to stop him from going, he’s old enough to think for himself.” Atem said, his voice quiet.

“He may be older than you, but he lacks experience in this world. Do you not remember how you felt when you first came to us? Because-“

“Yes, I remember, no need to go back into the details of my past.” Atem interrupted with a grumble.

“Then stop running from them,” Ishizu scolded him, her posture remaining the same but her eyes narrowing. “You need to face your fears sooner or later. Yugi has already gone to face his.”

Atem snorted. “What fears would he have? He grew up spoilt his whole life! He doesn’t even have his beast, he wouldn’t understand what I had to go through.”

Ishizu said nothing, simply raising an eyebrow at him. Atem growled at her- what was she trying to imply with that action?

“Stop growling at me- and wipe that snarl off your face,” Ishizu muttered. “I didn’t come here to listen to you berate your companion.”

“Ex-companion.” Atem mumbled under his breath. It didn’t matter- they both knew how sharp Ishizu’s hearing was.

“Would you stop it? You wouldn’t be whining this much if Marik or Rishid was here lecturing you.”

“I would be upset being lectured by anyone.”

“Atem.” Ishizu sighed, shaking her head. Atem glanced back over at her. She looked tired. What had she been doing since he left?

“Look, Ishizu… I was thinking about heading back to the mountains.”

“We have nothing left to teach you Atem- the rest you must discover on your own.” Ishizu said. Atem remembered her words well- they were the same words she had told him the day he had left.

“But I’m still not in control yet!” Atem argued. “I need more training.”

“Then you must do it on your own, by your own hand. We have taught you all we know. No one knows your beast better than you do, Atem. You must train with it, not against it.”

“But it resists me,” Atem grumbled. “If I give even a bit of ground, it will take it and demand more. The strain is… Too much.”

“Work _with_ your beast. Stop fighting against it so much. You know that fighting it won’t help anything. Putting up so much resistance will only encourage the barriers between you both.”

“I suppose you’re speaking from experience, huh?”

“I’ve seen others in your situation before. You know my brother went through a similar thing before you came to us. I would think his story had taught you something about all this.”

Atem sighed. This conversation was getting too serious for his liking. He could almost say he was craving a glass of wine to help him smooth over his nerves, but the alcohol they served here wouldn’t be to his liking enough. Besides, he had sworn off the stuff for years.

“He did, and I am touched by all of your support your family has given me. I guess I’m just… There are some parts of me that I can’t wash away.”

“Then stop trying to fight them, Atem. Adjust instead, work around them. Hasn’t Yugi been teaching you these lessons?”

“What?” Now _that_ caught Atem off guard. “Yugi, teaching me?”

“Have you not been paying attention to how much he has changed during your journey?” Ishizu pressed.

“You make it sound like you were there the whole time.” Atem narrowed his eyes.

“I wasn’t, stop giving me that look,” Ishizu glared at him. “Narrow your eyes like that at me one more time and you might not be able to see out of them anymore. My beast may not be as powerful as yours, but I’m more experienced. And in tight spaces like this room, my abilities have the advantage.”

“Hmm, so you do,” Atem grunted, widening his eyes slowly. “Now explain what you meant about Yugi.”

“I don’t think I’m inclined to- you’ll just have to think about what I’ve told you. Might do you some good to use you head here, Atem.” Ishizu said, stepping forward from the door as she opened it.

She paused before turning her head back around to regard Atem. “You should go visit Mai at her dojo. She and Ryou have things to tell you you should know, and perhaps they can teach you what you want to know. I’ll see you again before you leave, Atem.” And with that she closed the door, leaving Atem alone with his thoughts. 

* * *

 

Yugi could see the palace well before he reached the gates. The cart he had hitched a ride on had stopped down the road to talk to some guard, and Yugi had taken the opportunity to jump off and make the rest of the trek upwards on foot. The road had always looked so steep when he looked down on it from his balcony, but he found he had little trouble climbing it. He probably had Atem and all their travelling around the kingdom to thank for that. But he didn’t want to think about Atem right now. It left a sad pit in his stomach when the image of his ex-travelling companion came to mind. And of _course_ , saying _not_ to think about Atem only made him think about him _more_.

He even missed the way the other would casually make quips at him for not knowing things about the world. But Yugi would be just as quick with a retort of his own, and the two would end up grinning trying to outdo the other.

Part of him wished Atem had come with him, but he couldn’t be mad at the other’s decision to stay behind, nor leave for the mountains again. Yugi didn’t think that was what Atem needed- it just sounded like Atem needed a place to run away to. Yugi sympathised with Atem’s inner struggles- even if he had no real idea what they were. A general idea, for sure, but Atem was still hiding things about what he was running from. He wished he had told Atem what he really thought about his powers- the younger man was stronger than he gave himself credit for. But now he supposed that the opportunity had passed, and there was no use thinking about what could have been. Besides, he had spent most of the trip east wallowing over it.

“Halt! State your name and business.” One of the guards said, moving forward to inspect Yugi.

“I am Yugi Mutou, of the house Mutou- or what is left of it.” Yugi muttered the last part under his breath, rolling his eyes. There was no one else left in his family except for him, and he was almost certain that his family hailed from a distant land anyway. He had lived his life in the palace, but going back a few generations showed that Yugi’s ancestors weren’t born here. _Like I’m going to tell this guard my family’s history though,_ Yugi thought, frowning as the guard narrowed his eyes at him. He hoped he didn’t look too suspicious with his wooden sword slung over his back (it dragged on the ground when he tried to feed it through his waist belt, so he had to carry it on his back). Then again, it wouldn’t stand a match against the swords the guards were carrying.

“Yugi…?” Suddenly the guard’s eyes shot open, and he snapped around to his companion, waving frantically at him. “It’s Lord Mutou! Quick, open the gate and notify his majesty immediately!”

“My apologies sir, please allow me to escort you to the throne room.” The same guard said, bowing.

“Very well then.” Yugi waved at him, following as the man walked through the now opened gates. He bit his tongue to stop from making a quip about how he knew his way around the palace, and could find the throne room by himself. Now was not the time to be sarcastic- he had to revert back to his ‘court manners’ as he address this new king, as he knew nothing about them. _It’s about time I met them anyway,_ Yugi thought with a twitching frown.

As Yugi followed the man through the long corridors, he couldn’t help himself as he glanced down every other corridor or opened door. He was looking for any trace of Yami- even just a glance of his old friend’s maroon hair so he could see him again. He hoped he could sort out this business with the king quick, so he could find his friend. _Unless Yami is in the throne room too, next to the throne!_ Yugi’s heart skipped a beat at the thought. He couldn’t believe he was back here, so close to seeing his friend again. He could finally put his worries to rest, and find out what happened after his untimely departure from the palace.

The guard stopped in front of the grand doors, rapping his knuckles against them.

“Come in!” A muffled voice called from the other side. Yugi tried to identify it, but found he couldn’t. _I guess I don’t know this new king, great, that could either mean good or bad, depending on how this meeting goes,_ Yugi sighed.

With their presence announced, the guard opened the doors wide enough for them both to pass through. Yugi didn’t need to be told twice, he burst into the room, maintaining a calm composure. His eyes locked with the man sitting on the throne, and his breath caught in his throat. There in front of him was the man he had come all this way to see. But he wasn’t standing next to the throne- he was sitting in it.

* * *

 

A conversation with Ishizu always left Atem with a headache afterwards. And people thought _he_ had a roundabout way of speaking!

He was still uneasy over Ishizu knowing so much about Yugi. He knew Yugi wanted to hide his identity from everyone, and his first meeting with Ishizu probably freaked him out a lot. Was that why he was in a hurry to return to the palace? He was scared? _But Yugi’s not like you,_ a voice in Atem’s head tutted at him. _He’s not running away for his problems._

_He doesn’t have problems like me,_ Atem grumbled back at himself. _But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have problems of his own to deal with. Having your life and path dictated by others… It’s a feeling I understand well…_

He regrated belittling Yugi in front of Ishizu- he hadn’t deserved that. Atem felt like he was taking all of his frustrations and disappointments with himself out on those around him. Mainly Yugi, but he had lashed out at Ishizu too. He thought it had been a sign of weakness- something he could smooth out with more training. But from what Ishizu said, it was something that throwing himself into physical training couldn’t fix. That meant he had to come to terms with it on his own by thinking it over.

Atem grimaced, raising a hand to his head and rubbing his temple lightly. This headache was only going to get worst the more he thought about all of this. He needed something to distract his mind- not permanently, just for now… He didn’t want to think about this right now.

_Yugi will be fine without me anyway. Besides, he doesn’t want someone to smother him. His friend will look after him at the palace, and should he return here, he won’t have to worry about me anymore._

Thinking there was nothing better to do- and of _course_ there wasn’t, because why else would Ishizu bother to suggest otherwise?- Atem left the inn. With his hands shoved firmly into his pants’ pockets, he begrudgingly made his way up the main street. Even if he didn’t remember where Mai’s dojo was, it didn’t matter- he could just follow Yugi’s scent trail. No one would notice him tapping into his beast powers as he walked with his yellow eyes trained on the ground, identifying the different smells around until he picked up on Yugi’s aura. Dragon beasts did have their advantages.

After that, he simply had to follow the colour of Yugi’s aura until it lead him to the dojo- the place where Yugi’s aura was its strongest. Well, as strong as it could be without the man standing there himself.

“Atem, how nice of you to join us.” Mai said as he opened the doors. She was in the middle of what looked like a sparring session with the other man- the white haired sword wielder Yugi had talked about. What was his name again? Atem was struggling to remember, which was almost embarrassing with the amount of times Yugi had mentioned his name.

“Mind if we take a break, Ryou?” Mai said to her sparring companion. Ah, Ryou, that was it.

“Not at all.” Ryou nodded, and they split apart, both regarding Atem.

“Where’s Aaren?” Mai asked, glancing behind Atem, as if she expected him to arrive with the other in tow.

“He’s not here- did he not tell you were he was going?” Atem asked back.

“He said he had to go check up on a friend. He didn’t saw how long he’d be.” Mai answered.

“He might not be coming back.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Because I didn’t want to, nor did I need to. We were travelling companions, and our usefulness to each other has expired. We’ve gone our separate ways.”

“Travelling companions? Not friends? I don’t think Aaren saw it that way.” Ryou frowned.

It was then that it clicked to Atem what Mai had called him when he walked in. He shot a shocked glare at Mai. “How did you know my name?”

“Don’t you remember? Aaren said it during our little fight the other week.” Mai smirked at Atem’s embarrassed expression. Atem coughed into his hand, shuffling awkwardly.

“R-Right. I guess I didn’t hear him. I was a little distracted that day.”

“So why are you here today then, hmm? A rematch, or are you ready to put aside your stubborn pride for some training?”

At the mention of training, Atem almost wanted to groan. His thoughts went straight to the mountains. _If only life was as simple as just training…_

How ironic that Atem found so much solace in training now, when it was the bane of his existence as a teenager. _Times- and locations- change, I guess. Or maybe it was the serenity of life in the secluded mountains that I miss and crave._

“I’m not here to train- I spent the greater part of the last six years training my powers. I was told that you had something important to tell me.”

“Who told you?” Ryou rose an eyebrow at that, but Mai seemed to understand.

“Ah, you spoke with Ishizu I take it.”

“So you do know her.” Atem sighed. He had had his suspicions when Ishizu had told him to come here. It would also explain why Mai didn’t seem too fussed with his presence- if she knew who he was, of course. Maybe she didn’t know any better.

“Ishizu makes it a point to know everyone important,” Mai hummed, smiling at Atem’s sigh. “Don’t feel too bad about it. Most of the time we don’t understand how she works either.”

“We probably never will- I lived with the woman for years and yet I feel just as lost to her actions.”

“Well in any case- I’m afraid I don’t know what it is we’re supposed to be telling you. Any ideas Ryou?”

Ryou shook his head. “Afraid not. I’m not sure what good we could do for you anyway. From what I understand, the path you follow is different to what I think Mai or myself can help with.”

“Then why did Ishizu lead me here?” Atem asked no one in particular. It wasn’t like Ishizu to give him advice that would lead him nowhere. She usually tried to give him gentle nudges in the direction of his path, or ‘destiny,’ something like that. He suspected it was her doing that he was passing through the area Yugi happened to be in when he was kidnapped. Otherwise, Yugi might not have gotten out of there alive without Atem’s help. _Why make Yugi and I’s meeting happen?_ They had split now- Yugi was well on his way east to the palace. What meaning did that meeting have?

“Stop worrying so much Atem- it’s unbecoming.” A familiar voice called out.

The three of them in the room turned around to greet their new arrival. Atem was the first to comment.

“I’ll stop worrying when you give me a straight answer,” He frowned as Ishizu walked up to the group. “Why am I here? Mai and Ryou don’t have anything to tell me.”

“No, but I do, and I needed you all in the same room. It was a lot more convenient for me this way.” Ishizu smiled that knowing smile at him.

“I see. That doesn’t surprise me.” Atem muttered.

“Me neither,” Mai groaned. “Well, you have us all here now Ishizu. Tell us what this is all about.”

“I’ve had a vision of an event soon to occur,” Ishizu began. “The details are hazy, but you three will meet in Rinew in a week’s time. Roughly.”

“A week? Oddly specific.” Ryou spoke up, his hand on his chin.

“Why Rinew?” Atem asked.

“Because you’re not going to be on the king’s favourite person list soon enough.” Ishizu said.

“The king? Do you mean this kingdom’s king, or-“

“This one’s.” She clarified, shooting Atem a sympathetic look. _Oh great, that just spells trouble for me,_ Atem groaned.

“Okay, how do I screw up this time?”

“You know I can’t tell you everything,” Ishizu scolded him, crossing her arms. “I barely know any details as it is. I’m just telling you what I think you need to know. I _am_ trying to help you.”

“So you think we should make the trip to Rinew? That’s at least four days on horseback, you know.” Ryou commented.

“I’m sure you could manage. Both of your beasts don’t affect horses like Atem’s, correct?” Both Ryou and Mai nodded. “Then you should have no problem riding to the border.”

“But why the border?” Mai asked. “I know Ryou’s visited the other kingdom before, but I’ve had no reason too. And why now, suddenly?”

“I can’t say,” Ishizu shrugged. “I just know you should be there.”

The three had no comment on that. Atem knew- and he judged from Mai and Ryou’s reactions that they did too- how roundabout Ishizu could be with her ‘visions.’ In cases like this, with how serious Ishizu sounded, it was best to just follow her advice. _After all, if it wasn’t for her ‘visions,’ I would have never met Yugi._

“Fine, I’ll go to Rinew. But I can’t ride horseback.” Atem spoke up, earning everyone’s attention.

“Not you Atem. You have to go to the palace.”

“What, why? Don’t tell me-“

“Yugi needs you.”

“Yugi doesn’t need me anymore,” Atem snapped back. “I’m done talking about this. He made his choice, and it would be rude of me not to respect his desire to return to his friend.”

“There’s a good chance that if you don’t chase after him now, you’ll never see him again.” Ishizu warned, her tone serious.

“I know that.” Atem narrowed his eyes- he didn’t want to listen to this. He already knew that Yugi may have walked out of his life for good now. He just had to come to terms with that. People come and go.

“Perhaps I should rephrase that then,” Ishizu regarded him before saying, “You will never see Yugi again because he will never be allowed to leave the palace. Depending on how far he pushes, he may even cause his own death. The vision leads both ways, but the true path is hazy. He’s in trouble, regardless. He walks on glass where he thinks there is dirt, and-”

Atem’s eyes shot wide open at that. “Die?!” That can’t be right! Yugi said he was treated well at the palace! How could one of his futures evoke _death_? “You’re lying.”

“I don’t lie Atem and you know it. It’s a possibility. I can’t see which path he will travel down however. Hence why you should go after him.”

“Why didn’t you mention that sooner!?” Atem yelled. He didn’t wait for Ishizu’s answer- he tore off out the door, not even bothering to say his goodbyes. They all knew where he was headed anyway, and he had no time to waste.

* * *

 

“ _Yami?_ Why are you…?” Yugi couldn’t hide the shock he knew was plastered on his face. Yami was the _king_? But why? How? He needed answers, but first he needed his heart to stop beating so fast. He wouldn’t be any good if he couldn’t breathe properly.

“ _Yugi_ ,” Yami said, and Yugi could hear the emotion in his voice. “Yugi, Yugi, Yugi. You don’t know how happy it makes me to see you here, standing in front of me.” He rushed forward, his arms held out.

“Likewise. I’m glad you’re safe and well.” Yugi said as he embraced the other. Yami held him tight, his fingers curling slightly into Yugi’s shoulders. Yugi allowed it- he figured Yami was just as shocked to see him again as he was. _I would be too if I thought he had been kidnapped and murdered._

“Me? I’m glad _you’re_ safe and well,” Yami said, pulling back to stare at Yugi with a mixture of emotions. “You just disappeared that night. I feared you had been kidnapped, and well…” _And that you were dead,_ was left unsaid.

“I _was_ kidnapped,” Yugi started. “But someone saved me, and I was travelling with them all this time.”

“Yugi, it’s been _weeks_ since you disappeared,” Yami frowned. “Why didn’t you come back to the palace immediately?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t want to.” Yugi admitted. He didn’t miss the flash of shock and hurt that passed through Yami’s eyes. It was strange- Yugi used to never be able to read Yami’s expression- the ex-advisor had always worn a political mask that made it hard to see anything behind it. _My disappearance must have really affected him for me to be able to see that now._

“Didn’t… Didn’t want to? What do you…?” Yami straightened, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter right now- you can tell me all about it later. For now, let’s just enjoy your return.”

Yugi had no doubt Yami would follow through with his words. Sooner or later Yugi would have to explain what he was doing, and he wasn’t sure how he could do so without insulting Yami. He could see how shaken Yami looked over his ‘death,’ it must have really affected him more than he’d let on.

_And then there’s Atem… What can I say about him? What will Yami think about him?_ Yugi wanted to groan out loud, but kept it inside as he smiled at Yami.

“I am a bit hungry.” He said sheepishly.

“Then we shall eat.” Yami nodded, taking a hold of Yugi’s hand and guiding him out of the throne room. They headed to the dining hall, where Yami promptly sat down in the king’s chair, while Yugi took up a seat to his left.

Glancing around, it looked rather empty without the chairs filled with people. Yugi was only used to seeing it during actual meal times, so it have it completely void of others was strange, to say the least.

“Someone will be in soon with some food,” Yami said, bringing Yugi’s attention back to him. “Until then, why don’t you tell me how you’ve been?”

“Well, I’d think. Initially I was pretty scared, understandably. But the more I travelled and saw the world, the braver I felt.” Yugi admitted, smiling.

“What happened to your kidnappers? How did you escape? I found your wooden sword broken in the throne room, and I assumed the worst.”

“Well…” Yugi laughed awkwardly at the memory. “I kind of got kidnapped because I pretended to be you.”

“I’m sorry, you what?” Yami was taken a back- clearly not expecting that answer.

“I heard one of them mention you, and I didn’t want them to go after you. They thought I was you, so I kind of… Pretended to be you?” Yugi said with a shrug and a sheepish grin.

Yami stared at him before sighing through his nose. “Okay, there are so many things wrong with that I don’t even know where to begin. Did you even stop to consider the consequences? What if they were here to assassinate me? You would have been killed!”

“But I wasn’t,” Yugi shrugged. “And besides, I was rescued before they could try anything.”

Yami opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly the doors opened. Someone Yugi assumed was a chef’s apprentice walked in, placing a plate in front of both of them before scurrying away.

“They’re new.” Yugi blinked, not recognising the assistant.

“Yes- I had to hire quite a few new staff around the palace.” Yami muttered, picking up his fork and poking at a piece of meat.

“Has it been tough?” Yugi asked hesitantly. 

“You could say that. It’s been hard… Coping, for sure.”

_Coping with your ‘death’ is what he met to say,_ Yugi thought. “I’m sorry.” He said sincerely. He hadn’t meant to make Yami worry so much- all this time he had been worried about Yami, but it seems Yami had been worried about _him_ more. After all, Yugi didn’t think his friend had _died_.

“It’s… Alright. I’m just. Still in shock, I guess,” Yami sighed before looking away from his plate. “So, who rescued you?”

“Someone called Atem.” Yugi said. Yami suddenly started gaging on his food, coughing violently.

“Are you okay?” And then Yugi asked, “Do you know him?”

“N-No,” Yami coughed. “I’m- fine. I just,” He coughed again before clearing his throat. “I apologise- that was unexpected. No, I don’t know an ‘Atem.’ Please, continue. Tell me how he saved you.”

“Well he used his beast power to, well, kill my captors.”

“In cold blood? And you _travelled_ with this man for _weeks_?” Yami asked in disbelief.

“It’s not like that.”

“Yugi, he killed people! Are you sure he didn’t hold you captive all this time?”

“No, he didn’t. He helped me get to Furenall and-“

“You were in _Furenall?_ What were you doing over there?”

“I went to a dojo to do some sword training,” Yugi crossed his arms defensively. He didn’t like the disappointment Yami’s tone was implying. “I’ve gotten pretty good with it now.”

“So you say. We can test that tomorrow.”

“Are you sure? Aren’t I forbidden from such things?” Yugi teased.

“Not while I’m king. I can change the old rules, and I say we can spar tomorrow.”

“Well good. I’d hate to be stuck in my room, or learning more useless crap again. Travelling the kingdom was a lot more fun.” Yugi sighed.

“Something’s changed,” Yami frowned, narrowing his eyes. “You’re a lot different to how you were before.”

Yugi was thrown off by the remark. “Well, times change, and I’ve been through a lot. I’ve gotten a lot stronger.”

Yami said nothing immediately, staring down at the table as he sat back in the chair. He seemed to be pondering Yugi’s words.

“Why does it matter if I’ve changed? I’d say it’s for the better. I’m not as weak as I used to be.” Yugi pressed.

Yami looked over at him, but it was different. It was like he was examining something, trying to pull something apart to see how it worked. It made Yugi uneasy.

“You have changed.” Yami muttered.

“For the better.” Yugi countered.

Yami just hummed in response, looking back down.

“Go to your room, Yugi. We’ll talk about this later.” He said, pushing up out of his chair.

Yugi felt his face scrunch up at that. _I expected this kind of treatment from everyone else, but not from you, Yami._ He flung his hand out, standing up and catching the other before he could leave the room.

“No, we’ll talk about this now!” Yugi said, stamping his foot down. Yami’s head snapped around, and Yugi could have sworn he saw his entire eyes flash red before receding to the pupil. Yugi immediately let go, backing up.

“What the fuck was that?” Yugi said slowly, apprehensive.

“Don’t swear,” Yami frowned, crossing his arms almost defensively. “What was what?”

“That look you just gave me!” Yugi gestured to his own eyes. “Your whole eyes just turned red!”

“My eye colour is naturally red.” Yami countered in a bored tone.

“Most people don’t have colour outside of their irises.” Yugi retorted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe you should rest for the night- you’ve had a long day, and you’re not making any sense.” Yami said.

“…Alright, fine.” Yugi sighed, throwing his hands up in defeat. Maybe he _was_ just tired.

“Good. I’ve had your old room prepared. I’ll see you in the morning…” Yami stopped, looking like he wanted to say more. Then he shook his head, stalking away down the corridor until he turned a corner and Yugi lost sight of him.

_Well this isn’t what I expected. At least he’s okay… Mainly,_ Yugi thought. He couldn’t help frowning though. Something felt different, almost off. He would have to corner Yami tomorrow to get the information out of him. _Remind you of anyone?_ A voice in Yugi’s head nudged him. _How could I forget?_ Yugi groaned, thinking of Atem. It seemed the people in Yugi’s life were making a habit out of hiding things from him. _Well I cornered Atem about his problems, I can corner Yami about his. I’ve known Yami for years, I’m sure he’ll open up to me easier than Atem did._

He made his way to his old chambers, opening the door to peer inside hesitantly.

Everything looked the same. The bed, the drawers, and the balcony he would lean on so often. Nothing looked different to how he remembered it. It was untouched from when he had left, almost as if waiting for his return.

His wooden sword he always kept under his bed was resting on top of his drawers instead. He moved over to pick it up, noting the ugly scar running across the surface. _That’s right, it snapped when I tried to use it before I was kidnapped,_ Yugi remembered. He traced down the uneven surface, admiring the job someone had done with trying to repair it. _I wonder why they bothered- it was just some wooden sword, not even a real thing._ He figured it wasn’t worth worrying that much over as he placed it back down.

He changed out of his travelling clothes and into a pair of lose pants and tunic. It was casual wear, but even then it still had the look of formal clothes, threaded in reds and golds. It felt... Different, to what Yugi was used to now. _I thought I’d appreciate the comforts of the palace_ , _but… This feels too weird._

Even his bed felt different- the pillows too soft, the mattress threatening to swallow him with its suppleness. He never thought he’d be comparing the comforts of the palace to the harsh ground he had camped on, or the mattress in the inn in Furenall. But there was something missing, the bed was too big and Yugi felt too small on it. He just couldn’t work out what it was.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw man, I really love Ishizu. I loved being able to write her so much in this fic, and give her actual good roles. It's really made me want to go out of my way to include her in all my future stories xD You can bet she'll be in Prince and King btw B) Which reminds me, should really update that too...   
> Let me know what you think of the story so far, if there's anything you particularly like about it or that stands out. It really helps to know when I'm doing something right, otherwise I just assume I'm not when met with silence. And if any spelling mistakes slipped by me. I tend to edit these chapters pretty late at night because my writing process is all over the place, so things do get by me ahaha. Until next week~


	9. You're gonna carry that weight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been admittedly spending my spare time focusing a lot on Prince and King recently, so I'm starting to fall behind with TBW. Rest assured chapter updates will stay consistent for a while yet. But when we get up to the last chapter, I may need to skip a week maybe to get it done. I tend to be incredibly lazy writing endings ahaha.  
> Chapter Title is from Cowboy Bebop, because I've been looking for an excuse to use it for a while now~

 

The next morning greeted him as Yugi yawned, pushing himself into a sitting position.

The light from his balcony was significantly brighter than the light that shined through the window of the inn room he had shared with Atem back in Furenall he noted.

He wondered how Atem was doing. Was he alright? Did he go back to the mountains? Maybe if he did, Yugi would be able to go visit him again one day. It couldn’t be too hard to find the sanctuary he trained at, could it? Yugi knew that it was secluded, but he had a feeling he could find it if he went looking.

He knew that he had possibly walked out of Atem’s life for good when he made the decision to come back to the palace. But he had never planned to stay long- a few weeks maybe, but… It didn’t _feel_ like his home anymore. It was like Yugi was an outsider now, watching everything happen from the outside but never feeling it affect him directly.

_There’s no use moping around,_ he thought. He slipped into a new set of clothes- the simplest ones he could find in the drawers- before walking over to the balcony.

It felt like a lifetime ago that he was standing here last. Things had been simpler then. He didn’t have the view on the world he did now. Although, even now, he still didn’t consider himself adept to the world. He knew more than he did now, of course, but it just enough to make him question everything he knew.

_Was_ there even a war happening? Aside from meeting Jou’s patrol near the border, he hadn’t seen any evidence of a war. No one in Furenall seemed to care about the so called ‘war.’ Where was it even been fought, then, if Yugi had travelled most of the west and not seen any signs of it? It was one of the many questions that had been weighing on his mind for weeks now.

When Atem had first told him they were on the border, Yugi had expected it to be a war zone. But Yugi hardly saw evidence of fighting at all- not even at Rinew, a town that sat _directly_ on the border _._

He glanced down to the courtyard like he had so often, weeks ago. Was it a month now? It felt like a month had gone by. Maybe it was longer. Maybe it was shorter. Yugi didn’t know.

There was activity in the stables- some stable boys milling around to tend to the horses, walking them if they weren’t needed today. Yugi briefly wondered if the one who had caught him down there the day before he was kidnapped still worked there. He also wondered if he would get away with been able to go down there now. Yami wouldn’t mind, would he? His old rules no longer applied, right? He’d be a ghost anyway to anyone who knew him before- he had changed so much since the boy he was before.

A knock on the door demanded Yugi’s attention.

“Come in!” He called out, walking back into the room and off the balcony.

The doors parted to reveal Yami standing behind them, clad in his usual fancy attire.

“I’ve come to get you for breakfast. Afterwards, we can have our little sparing session.” He said, crossing his arms to lean against the door frame.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Yugi smiled, closing the distance between them. “What’s for breakfast?”

“I think the better question- now that I’m king- is what is _not_ for breakfast?” Yami snorted, a smile creeping up his face.

* * *

 

Atem was panting heavily, the stress of exerting himself almost impacting his vision. He was beginning to see black spots dotting the edges of his eyes, but he blinked them away angrily. He didn’t have time to black out- he had to make it to the palace as fast as he could.  

From what Ishizu had said, it would take Yugi four days to reach the castle. It would take Atem five by foot. It didn’t help that Yugi could ride a wagon, but the moment a horse caught a whiff of him, they’d run away without hesitation.

He knew he should be taking it easy, so that he would have enough energy for… Whatever it was he’d face at the palace. Why was Yugi in trouble anyway? It was the one question that had been on Atem’s mind during his travel. Ishizu hadn’t given him enough details, and Atem’s overactive mind was jumping to fill in the gaps. Every circumstance he thought of wasn’t good, and only served to push him forward more.

He didn’t want to risk being seen, so he couldn’t rely on his beast powers. Nor did he want to deal with the kind of exhausted that would slam down onto him after using his powers for too long.

So instead, he was trekking through the countryside of the kingdom, walking as fast as his legs would take him. He figured if he pushed himself, he would be able to reach the palace by nightfall- late afternoon if he was lucky. _I’m coming Yugi._

* * *

 

“You know, now that I’m king, we don’t have to abide by any rules for this little sparring match.”

“So can we use actual swords?” Yugi asked. They were standing outside in the courtyard. It was midday, and Yami had taken them out for their sparring session.

A smirk creeped up Yami’s face and he nodded. “Blunted, of course, but yes, we can.” He moved off to get their swords. Yugi couldn’t help feeling a bit of déjà vu, watching Yami walk back carrying the swords. It reminded him of the last time the two had sparred out here in the courtyard. Except this time- Yugi had more experience.

“Here, put these on,” Yami said, tossing a pair of gloves at Yugi while he put a pair on himself. “Even though they’re blunted edges, it never hurts to take extra precautions. Plus, this way your grip won’t falter from sweaty hands.”

He flipped the sword in the air, catching the blunted blade in his gloved hand before nudging the hilt at Yugi. Yugi took the handle, flicking the sword side to side to get a feel of it.

The blade- even dulled- was a lot heavier than the wood he was used to swinging around. The steel weighed more, and had the constant force of pulling Yugi’s hand downwards. It took a considerable effort just to keep it upright.

“If you can’t even hold the sword, then you’re going to struggle to swing it.” Yami said, arching an eyebrow as Yugi tried to lift it again.

“Have you got anything lighter? This is kind of heavy. I mean I can hold it but- how do you swing this? For a whole fight?” Yugi managed to puff out with his attention divided.

“That’s about as light as our average swords get. We can use wooden ones if you’d prefer-”

“No,” Yugi interrupted. “It’s okay, I’ll have to get used to it sooner or later.”

Yami frowned, but he didn’t say anything. Yugi went back to fully focusing on keeping the sword up. He wasn’t struggling too much- he was mainly caught off guard on how heavy the sword was compared to the wood. If this is how a real sword feels, then he would struggle to get used to the weight.

Eventually he managed to hold the sword without too much effort, distracting himself from his hands protesting at him. He would be feeling the strain tonight from them.

“Let’s go.” Yugi grunted, raising the sword as he widened his stance.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Very well then.” Yami gave him no warning, coming in with a low slash. Yugi yelped, managing to move his sword down enough to block the attack. The reassuring sound of metal on metal clanged loudly in the open space. The vibrations from the impact rattled Yugi’s arms, and he had a feeling that if he had been holding the sword with just one hand, he would have dropped it from the force.

Yami extended one of his feet, spinning it around under Yugi’s legs. He fell down, losing his grip on his sword and freeing Yami’s. Before Yugi had enough time to get back up, Yami had repositioned his sword over Yugi’s chest.

“And now you’re dead,” He said before pulling the sword back, allowing Yugi to scramble to his feet. “Shall we try again? You must be prepared for attack at any moment. Try to strike me first this time.”

“Right.” Yugi nodded, clutching his sword tight once again. He tried to apply his training with Mai and Ryou this time. He knew a little about how Yami fought from his previous sparring match with the other. Yami was graceful- quick and sharp with his strikes. He didn’t waste time boasting his strength, nor with small talk. He went for the kill with the first move.

Knowing this, Yugi didn’t waste any more time thinking about his plan of attack- he just dove forward. He tried to swing the blade in an arc upwards, but Yami blocked it with his own sword easily. Yugi swerved on the spot, not letting the jutting from the clashing swords stop his momentum. He slid his sword along Yami’s as he turned. Before the other had a chance to react, Yugi kicked his foot out, hitting the heel of his shoe against the swords. He leaned his weight into it, forcing it all onto Yami.

The other grunted at the action, trying to pin his weight forward onto Yugi instead. But with Yugi’s foot on the swords, he had the upper hand- a better vantage point to his center of gravity. Yami had his shoes dug into the dirt, steadying himself.

And then suddenly he swerved out of the way, guiding Yugi’s sword back down the length of his own until it ran out of room. Yugi, who still had his foot on his sword, was forced downwards as his sword tapped the ground, spreading his feet out to stop from joining it in the dirt.

He felt the tiniest bit of pressure on his back, and he jutted his head back to see the end of Yami’s sword there.

“Dead again, Yugi. Although that was a much better move,” Yami said in praise. “A good move to use your weight to force me back, but I’m afraid it won’t work as well if your opponent is heavier than you. How about this time you try and disarm me? Remove the threat and I can’t harm you with it.”

Yugi came at Yami again, this time not striking first. He ran around Yami, his sword trailing by his side on the ground as he circled the other. With enough momentum, he lifted the sword up, slashing up from below in another low blow. Yami was prepared for the low strike, however, and brought his sword up to defend the blow.

Yugi stepped back- expecting the attack. He didn’t put much distance between him and Yami- keeping his body close enough that Yami would have to step back to swing his sword. He aimed for his hand instead with the pommel of the sword, missing Yami’s blade.

Yami must have been expecting the move, however, as he jumped backwards, avoiding Yugi’s attack. Yugi paused, his arms raised in the air forward with the handle of the sword as he stared at the other.

Yami was a good few metres away from him, posed to attack. Something flashed in his eyes, but it was nothing to the shock Yugi felt on his own face.

“How did you _do_ that?” Yugi gasped, gaping at the distance between the two. He had been expecting Yami to swerve out of the way, or step back at the most, but to jump _three_ metres away? That was not normal.

“You surprised me,” Yami said, walking back over to stand next to Yugi. “I wasn’t expecting you to try with the sword handle. A good move, mind you. I guess survival instincts kicked in and gave me a bit of a boost.”

_A bit of a boost is an understatement,_ Yugi thought as Yami stood there staring off in the distance. It was almost like he wouldn’t meet Yugi’s eye.

“I think that’s enough for now.” Yami spoke up. Yugi couldn’t lie- he was very happy the other had said so, he was exhausted. He pushed his worries over his friend’s sudden super speed to the back of his mind for later and promptly doubled over, his hands on his knees while he panted, his sword lying on the ground where he had dropped it.

“That… That was a lot tougher than duelling with wooden swords.”

“I bet it was. You’ll need an awful lot of training to be able to wield a steel sword better than that. Give it time.” Yami nodded at him. It was the first real time Yugi had seen his friend’s personality shine through since he arrived. It was something he missed- where had that side of Yami been hiding?

It was gone as soon as he saw it though, as Yami looked away, off at some distant point of the palace wall. _I miss you,_ Yugi internally sighed. _I guess it’s back to work then, demanding answers._

“Yami,” Yugi began softly, waiting until Yami turned back to regard him. “I need you to be honest with me about something.”

“A somewhat ominous request. But nonetheless- I promise. What is your question?”

“Well… I want to know… What is this war with the other kingdom even about?” Yugi said, his gaze boring into Yami’s.

The other was strangely silent for a moment, milling over Yugi’s words. He then sighed, some kind of internal battle settled.

“I wasn’t expecting you to ask that kind of question, to be honest, but… There is no war. Not in the traditional sense, that is.” Yami said, his expression guarded. Yugi couldn’t read any of his emotions.

“So it’s what? All a hoax? You’re fucking over everyone with this bullshit _notion_ of war? What for?”

“Stop swearing, it’s vulgar and I don’t need it,” Yami scolded him. “There never was a ‘war,’ so to speak. We are not on friendly terms with the southerners, make no mistake. But there is no ‘battlefield.’ We have mainly just traded blows along the border, neither willing to dip more than their feet into the other’s territory.”

“What started this?”

“I don’t know. It’s been going on for years, since the previous southern king ruled before his death six years ago.”

“The same time you became the advisor.” It made sense why Yami wouldn’t have knowledge prior to that then. After all, his friend didn’t know _everything_.

“Roughly.” Yami agreed.

They lapsed into a silence as Yugi digested the new information. He had his suspicions that the war wasn’t what it was chalked up to be. The way Atem had disregarded it so often, and when no one had really mentioned it in Furenall… It had really gotten Yugi thinking about what this whole war deal really involved. What was the view like from the other kingdom? Did they see them as the enemy? Why were they still fighting, if the original meaning of the war was lost to them? Wouldn’t it be wiser to bury the hatchet and move on? That’s what Atem had said, wasn’t it? A treaty? Yugi still remembered their deal- he hadn’t forgotten. He fully meant to convince Yami to agree to the treaty. He just wasn’t sure if he would…

But there was something else that didn’t add up in the new information he had. If the war wasn’t ‘real,’ then why was he…?

“There’s one thing that doesn’t make sense though,” Yugi spoke up, earning Yami’s attention. “Why was I locked up in this place as a ‘bargaining’ tool? Why was I really shut in?”

“I…” Yami frowned momentarily in confused. “I don’t actually know why you were. The previous king never disclosed such information to me. I can only make assumptions.”

Yugi gave a huff. Of course when it came to the details of his life, there were none. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with it anymore.” _Especially after tasting freedom now._

“Yes, well, don’t do anything rash. I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and find you missing again.”

Yugi scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Yami please, I’m an adult. I can take care of myself now.”

“Can you, though?” Yami countered. “Tell me Yugi, when during your travels did you take initiative?”

“What do you mean?”

“It sounds like this ‘Atem’ person you travelled with made most of the decisions for you. How can you then say that you can take care of yourself when he was doing it for you?”

Yugi didn’t miss the distain that laced the other’s voice. “I may have relied on Atem, but I’m still an adult. I can do things by myself, and I don’t appreciate being told otherwise.”

Something flashed in Yami’s eyes, but he quickly looked down to avoid Yugi’s gaze. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

“You’re stressed from your job, I get it,” Yugi said softly. “But you’ve got to stop worrying so much. I’m not dead, okay? I’m here now.”

“But for how long?” Yami muttered, half to himself. Then he shook his head, looking back at Yugi. ”I think we should head inside now.”

“Wait.” Yugi said. The treaty with Atem suddenly came to his mind, nudging a reminder at him. _I have to mention this now- I might not get another chance. And since Yami is the king now, I have to ask this of him._

“I’m tired of this conversation, Yugi.” Yami said, his tone warning.

“I know, but here me out, this is a different matter. I have to ask you about signing a treaty with the other kingdom.”

Yami veered back at that, clearly thrown off. “A treaty? What for?”

“Atem… Asked me to suggest a treaty to the king. Originally I wasn’t sure how much pull I could have with the previous king, but now that you’re on the throne… Will you do it?”

Yami made a pained sound, tapping a finger against his chin. “I’m not sure.”

“There’s no reason to keep this war going now. Why bother? Why not just make peace with the southerners?”

“Mmm, I’ll think about it. But there’s no guarantee the other king would be willing to sign one.”

“What makes you say that? It couldn’t hurt to ask, could it? Wouldn’t the peace be worth the risk?” Yugi pressed.

“How about we finish this conversation inside.” Yami suggested, motioning towards the palace with a sigh.

Yugi nodded, waiting while Yami returned their swords before coming back to where Yugi was standing. He allowed Yami to lead the way back inside the palace and down the long corridors.

They went back into the throne room- as per Yami’s request. The king- which felt weird for Yugi to even think- sat on the throne as Yugi milled around the base of the chair.

“Yugi I can’t help but think you’re not enjoying yourself,” Yami spoke up, causing Yugi to freeze. “Are you not happy to be back?”

“I…” Yugi swallowed nervously, shifting on the spot. “I am- don’t think I’m not happy to see you, Yami. I was worried how you were going, constantly. But now that I know you’re okay… I’m not obligated to stay here, you know?”

“No I don’t know,” Yami crossed his arms, shifting in the chair. “How about you enlighten me?”

“Well… What if I want to go back to Furenall?”

“You don’t need to.” Yami said simply.

“How do you know that? What if I want to continue my training there? Isn’t it better for me to train more to get stronger?”

“I can teach you the sword just as well.”

“But you can’t teach me how to fight beasts.”

“I’m sorry? Fight beasts? What kind of nonsense have they been telling you in the west?” Yami asked, his voice rising in pitch.

“I’ve been learning how to fight against any enemy. And besides, I kind of figured… If I never get my beast, then I want to be able to at least defend myself against one.”

“So you’ve given up on yours? Just like that? Did this ‘Atem’ have anything to do with this?”

“What do you have against Atem? He saved my life.”

“I don’t have anything against him- I’ve never met the man. But I do know about you, Yugi. What happened to your passion for beasts? Your desire to awaken yours? Don’t tell me you no longer dream of becoming a knight as well?”

“You know I can’t become a knight,” Yugi said quietly. “I would never get the chance. And besides, I’ve come to accept things that might not happen. I was acting like a spoilt brat, wanting everything I didn’t- and couldn’t- have. But I’ve come to the realisation- I don’t need my beast, nor the status of a knight. I can just be Yugi, and that’s enough. That’s all I need to be. I can still train to be the best sword fighter ever, though. My ambition is still there.”

“So you’re fine with being passive, then? I thought you wanted better.”

“I can’t understand what you’re trying to get out of this conversation, Yami.” Yugi said, ignoring his last comment.

The other stared back with a hint of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You tell me not to do something, and then come back not even five minutes later saying the exact opposite. I don’t understand what you’re saying. Are you even listening to what you’re saying?”

Yami’s face grew dark at that, and Yugi thought he saw his pupils recede for a second.

Before he could take a close look to confirm his suspicions, the doors burst open, and someone called out Yugi’s name. It sounded oddly familiar…

Yugi’s eyes widened in recognition. _That’s_! Swinging his head around, he watched as his travelling companion ran through the doors, skidding to a halt when he saw Yugi.

“Atem!” Yugi blinked, unable to hide his surprise, nor the smile that covered his face.

“Yugi!” Atem called back, walking briskly up to Yugi and taking his hands into his as they met each other half way. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked, his voice laced with worry and- was that _fear_ Yugi saw in his eyes?

“I’m… Fine.” Yugi replied, confused. What was Atem talking about? Why did he sound so distressed?

It was then Atem seemed to notice Yami on the throne. “Who are you?” He asked apprehensively.

“I’m the _king_ , and Yugi’s _friend_ ,” Yami said, an eye twitching in annoyance. “Who are you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Atem said, turning his attention back to Yugi. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine, really. Atem what’s wrong?” Yugi blinked. He glanced back at Yami, noting the scowl on his face. Yami didn’t like being ignored- and even less so now that his was king, Yugi was sure. He also had a suspicion that Yami didn’t like what Atem represented in Yugi’s life. Everything Yugi had said that had made Yami frown had been about Atem, after all. He was a bit worried how they would react, now that Atem was here.

“Ishizu told me you were in trouble. I came as fast as I could. I was under the impression you were in some life threatening situation, but you look fine. Ishizu never lies though. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on.” Atem said, tightening his hold of Yugi’s hands. In any other instance, Yugi might have blushed from the close contact with the other. But now, he was just worried. What had Ishizu told Atem? And how did Ishizu even know he was in trouble? But he wasn’t anyway... Was he?

“Forgive me for interrupting this… Touching reunion,” Came Yami’s icy voice. “But I find my throne room being invaded by some stranger.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Yugi said, removing his hands from Atem’s, despite the way the other frowned at him. “Yami this is-“

“Yugi, can I talk with you in private?” Atem interrupted. His eyes seemed to be pleading with Yugi, although why he couldn’t say. Yugi knew Yami was upset with being left out of the conversation, and he would probably have to apologise to the king later. But he couldn’t ignore the way Atem was looking at him.

Now that Yugi took in the appearance of the other, he noticed Atem looked like he hadn’t slept in days, either. His hair was wild and unkempt, and there were dark rings under his eyes.

“When was the last time you slept?” Yugi asked instead of moving. “You look tired.”

“I am tired. I followed you all the way from Furenall, I haven’t slept much.” Atem sighed.

“But why? What did Ishizu tell you that made you drop everything so fast to follow me?”

“Yugi, what is going on?” Yami’s voice called out. “Can I know why you’re causing a scene in my throne room?”

“I’m not sure. Sorry Yami, can we just have a moment?”

“No,” Yami snapped. “Tell me what’s happening. Now, Yugi.”

Yugi looked between both men, chewing his lip. Both of them were staring at him, waiting for his answer. Yami’s expression was dark, and he didn’t look impressed. Atem was trying hard to keep his head up, but he was giving Yugi a wary glance, almost as if he was worried Yugi wouldn’t heed his warning.

“You’re the king?” Atem cocked an eyebrow over at Yami before turning back to Yugi. “You never said your friend was _king_.”

“He wasn’t- he took over when the previous one died.”

Yami made a sound of disapproval, his gaze boring down onto the both of them. “You’ve been in my throne room for not even five minutes and I already don’t like you. Never mind how you got past my staff. I don’t trust you, _Atem_. You better have a damn good explanation for all of this.”

“Yami it’s alright- Atem’s a friend.” Yugi tried to reason.

“I don’t think so.” Yami hissed, his gaze sweeping over to Atem.

Atem tensed, narrowing his eyes to mirror Yami’s expression. “Yugi can make his own choices in life. He doesn’t need you to hold his hand through it all.”

Yami just growled in response. Yugi blinked in surprise. Atem just continued to speak. “Stop trying to shut him in when he doesn’t want it.”

“You would say that. You probably don’t even know how to protect anyone.” Yami’s words came like a slap. Atem visibly flinched, his eyes widening _. How would Yami know what Atem would say?_ Yugi thought, confused.

“But he’s right,” Yugi spoke up before Atem had a chance to counter. Both men turned to stare at him. “I don’t need to be protected, Yami. I’m strong enough to protect myself. You don’t need to treat me like a kid.”

“You’re too fragile,” Yami muttered. “For all this talk, you still couldn’t beat me in a sword fight today. That shows that you’re no different in skill level to when you left. You can’t protect yourself.”

Yugi wanted to counter with something, but he couldn’t deny there was some truth in the other’s words. But even if Yami was speaking true, that didn’t make his words cut through him any less. _What happened to you, Yami? You seem so distant now._

This time Atem spoke up for Yugi. “Leave him alone. If Yugi no longer wishes to stay in the palace, you must let him leave.” He said.

“Or what? You’ll run home to your cousin and march against me?” Yami sneered. When both Yugi and Atem’s eyes widened, he continued. “That’s right. I know who you are, _Atem_. From the moment Yugi told me he had met someone with that name. You’re not very smart revealing your true name to some stranger, especially when your name is not very common.”

“How do you know who I am?” Atem asked, his voice dangerously low.

Yami barked out a laugh at that. “How could I not know the true holder of the crown of my enemies? I know all about the little prince who ran away from the throne. I did my research on your kingdom when I was advisor.”

“Wait… Atem, you’re… You’re a _prince?_ ” Yugi stepped back, regarding Atem with surprise. Atem was _royalty?_ And from the other kingdom?

“…I used to be,” Atem said quietly, glaring at Yami the whole time he spoke. “My father died, and I was an only child in line for the throne.”

“And so little Atem here became the rightful ruler of the Southern kingdom, but got cold feet when the throne was suddenly thrown at him. And so he ran away, presumed dead after many years of never reappearing.” Yami said, his voice mocking.

“You don’t know anything about what happened, so stop trying to sound like you do.” Atem spat.

“Actually I know quite a bit of what happened,” Yami smiled with fake sweetness. “I had just risen to the role of advisor when this little debacle happened, and word reached us pretty fast over the matter- although I’m sure your cousin currently on the throne tried his hardest to cover it up. Not that anyone really cared about you after you ‘died.’”

“I can guarantee you you’re _wrong_ about that.” Atem snarled.

“Am I, though? You’ve been away for quite a few years. Does your cousin even know you’re still alive?” The mocking tone of Yami’s voice was so fake it hurt to listen to it.

_Yami would never be this… Provoking, what happened_ \- and then it hit Yugi. _Provoking_. Yami was _provoking_ Atem! He snapped his head around to Atem, eyes wide.

“Atem, don’t-!” Yugi tried to say, but Atem’s eyes were already glowing yellow.

He growled low, running forward to attack Yami.

Yami just smiled at him, and Yugi’s gut dropped- he was _expecting_ this. Suddenly Yami’s arm began to change, shifting into a giant golden claw. Yugi’s eyes went wide, and Atem’s must have too for he hesitated for a second. But it was all the time Yami needed.

He swiped his clawed hand across Atem’s stomach- _hard_ \- and Yugi heard Atem’s strangled scream as he took a step back, falling onto his knees and doubling over.

“You’re not the only one with a god beast, _wielder_ _of_ _Osiris_.” Yami said coolly, looking down at where Atem was crouched on the ground with his bloodshot red eyes.

“Atem!” Yugi screamed, running up and sliding down next to the fallen man. There was a giant gash on his lower abdomen, and it was bleeding heavily. They needed to patch it up, and fast.

Atem coughed, tried to say something but groaned instead closing his eyes in pain. Yugi had to take him somewhere- before Yami tried to attack him again.

Yugi turned up to face Yami, his eyes narrowed to slits as he glared at his once friend. “How could you Yami?”

“He attacked me- I simply returned the gesture.” Yami stated, his smile dropping.

“You’re right Yami,” Yugi said suddenly. Yami tilted his head slightly in confusion. “I have changed. But so have you. Something happened when I disappeared, and you’ve changed. And not for the better.”

“Of course I’ve changed- I thought my best friend for my entire life had died- leaving me alone.” Yami said, staring straight at Yugi.

It was then Yugi realised- Yami had never been his pillar of strength. He had been _Yami’s_. Yami had relied heavily on Yugi’s reassuring presence, and when Yugi disappeared as was presumed dead, something clicked in Yami’s mind. He was left _alone_ , with the pressures of his job, and his rise to the throne. That must have been his breaking point- the added responsibility of the throne with no one to vent at like he did with Yugi. _He’s probably put himself under so much stress. No wonder why he snapped,_ Yugi thought.

Suddenly Yugi felt arms around his waist. He was about to turn around when he heard a sudden _woosh_ sound, and his head was snapped down as he was abruptly pulled into the air. He had enough time to see Yami’s confused expression turn into a pair of eyes narrowed darkly before he was thrown through the window behind the throne. He luckily had enough sense to throw his hands in front of his face, but his arms weren’t so lucky, as glass shards cut into them. He hissed at the pain, bitting his lip, but the sound disappeared into the wind sweeping against him.

He looked back to the window, but it was hidden from view as he was dragged past the palace. It was then that he glanced up at who was carrying him. It was Atem- as Yugi suspected. The man was wearing a grimace, and blood was still pouring out of his wound. Although to Yugi, it looked like a small stream compared to how much had just been coming out on the throne room floor. Did Atem have some kind of healing powers with his beast?

He was incredibly surprised to see the two huge red wings sprouting out of Atem’s back suddenly (of course it was logical- they had to be flying _somehow_ after all, but he had never seen them before). They were moving in a steady up and down motion as they flapped, keeping them on a fixed path.

Soon they left the palace behind, and only when it was barely a spot on the horizon did Atem fly close to the ground. He dropped Yugi when his feet were inches from the ground, and then promptly fell face first down, his wings disappearing as soon as he made contact with the ground.

Yugi immediately scrambled over to him, rolling him over to check the damage.

“Yugi.” Atem groaned, opening one clouded eye to stare at him.

“I’m here. Are you okay? How do you feel?” Yugi asked. He took off his shirt, ignoring the look of surprise flashing across Atem’s face.

“Like shit.” He groaned. Yugi just hummed and nodded in response, busy working on wrapping his tunic around Atem’s stomach. He rolled him over to his side so he could knot the sleeves on his back.

“There, that should be enough pressure for now.” Yugi nodded to himself, examining his handiwork.

“Thanks,” Atem tried to sit up, looking at Yugi thoughtfully. “You look good without a shirt on. You should train without one more. It’s a nice look.”

Yugi felt his face scrunch up at the comment. “I’m sorry? I try to save your life from my suddenly crazy childhood friend and the only thing you have to say is that I’m hot without my shirt on?”

“I did give you my thanks,” Atem said before coughing. “But, yeah. Um. Look I’m kind of losing a lot of blood from this…”

“I know. But where can we go to get you help? I don’t think Yami will be happy to see either of us again. He’ll kill you on the spot.”

“Guess my first impression wasn’t that good.” Atem tried to joke.

“Please don’t joke when you’re severely wounded,” Yugi chastised him. “You need help and you sit here saying all these weird things?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“I just… I don’t know where we can go.”

“We have to leave here,” Atem said, inhaling sharply. It looked like just talking hurt for him. “There’s no way I’m strong enough to fight another god beast. Not now.”

“Yami said that too- what is a god beast?”

“Explain later.” Atem rasped.

“Well then where can we go? Nowhere in the kingdom will be safe now.”

 “The only place we’ll be safe from Yami,” Atem said quietly, looking Yugi in the eye. “My kingdom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh chapter nine, my worst enemy. I'm not very happy with this chapter, but I've edited it and gotten one of my friends to give me a second opinion on it, and since they told me to stop fussing over it, I think it's good enough (wait didn't I mention this last chapter? Wow I keep forgetting everything RIP). I suppose there comes that point in creative work where you just have to stop looking/working on something, because you've been staring at it so long you think you see mistakes that aren't there. Very common in art and animation too- I speak from experience there ahaha xD


	10. I'm waking up to a fantasy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, chapter ten. We're getting there. Only four more chapters after this, wow. Also, this chapter is a little short compared to the usual length of these chaps, sorry about that. I had to split another chapter up, and ten got the short end of the stick. Eleven is a bit longer and more exciting, so hopefully that'll make up for it?  
> Chapter Title is from Out of Touch by Hall and Oates

They walked as fast as they dared with Atem’s injury, Yugi being careful not to let the wound open back up again.

Atem’s beast must have had some influence in his healing, for his wound had sealed back up after a few hours on the road. Still Yugi was worried it would tear again if he was too rough with him, so they set a fast but easy pace.

Eventually Yugi couldn’t support Atem’s weight anymore, and they were forced to stop for a rest.

“I’m sorry,” Yugi huffed out, sliding Atem down into a sitting position on the ground. “I don’t have your kind of body strength.”

“It’s alright- you’re doing the best you can with what you’ve got. I appreciate it.” Atem said, clutching his side. “Not to mention you’re doing it all not wearing a shirt.”

Yugi felt his cheeks puff up at that, and he had no doubt he was blushing. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about the gash in your stomach?”

“I am, believe me.”

A comfortable silence enveloped them as they both focused on simply breathing. Atem’s breath was rugged, and he had a slight wheeze still. Yugi wasn’t sure how much further they would be able to go like this before they were caught. Atem seemed to mirror his thoughts.

“We need a faster way to move. If we are followed on horseback, then they will catch us in no time.” Atem spoke, grunting back his pain as he tried to stand.

Yugi rushed over to his side to help him up, siding his hand under the other’s arms. “I know, but your beast is still out of commission, and there’s only so fast we can walk with your condition. We can’t risk the wound opening up more, and the blood possibly leaving a trail.”

“I don’t suppose you have some secret power you’ve been holding back we could use right about now…?” Atem said as they started moving.

“Afraid not. What I’ve said about me is true- I’m not some secret king or beast wielder.” Yugi glanced at the other.

Atem lowered his eyes, his expression guilty. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but…”

“I know, it’s a big secret you didn’t want to get out. I understand. It doesn’t mean I’m happy about it, though.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Let’s just try and make some progress away from the palace. It’s going to take us almost a week to reach Rinew at this point.” Yugi sighed. The threat of being overtaken by riders was very real and weighted heavily on his mind. They could even catch up to them by nightfall- not even a day’s worth of travelling. He measured they had about two hours head start, given to them by Atem’s flight. The riders would have to pick their way down from the palace and through the woodland. There was no way they were going to beat their pursuers. If they were caught, Atem would be killed, and he would be most likely locked in his room for the rest of his life, if Yami’s expression before they had escaped was anything to go by.

“Maybe I can call on my beast again, to get us some more ground.” Atem muttered, wiping a film of sweat from his brow.

“No, it’s too risky. You’ll just end up hurting yourself more.” Yugi frowned.

“If I don’t, we won’t make it.”

“There has to be something else we can do…”

Suddenly they heard a sound, and Yugi froze. He tried to extend his hearing, holding his breath to calm the air.

_It sounded like… Wingbeats?_

He didn’t have time to react further as a shape came crashing through the tree tops abruptly. It landed in front of him, and Yugi had to supress a scream at the suddenness of it.

“There’s another behind us.” Atem whispered, turning his head. Yugi followed his gaze, and he heard the neighing of a horse moments before one broke through the trees.

They were surrounded- the horse behind them, and the figure in front.

Without a sword, Yugi felt useless. There was nothing he could do besides use his fists, and he wasn’t trained in hand-to-hand combat.

“There you two are! We’ve been searching for you for a while now!” A voice behind them called out.

Yugi spun around, having recognised the voice. “Ryou?”

The white haired man was perched atop the horse, staring down at them in what seemed to be relief shining in his eyes.

“We were worried the king’s men had found you first, or that you weren’t heading to Rinew anymore.” He said, climbing down from the horse and leading it away from Atem slightly. It nickered nervously at the man, shying away further with Ryou’s ministrations.

“ _We_?” Yugi turned around, taking a closer look at the figure in front of them. He noticed green feathers flicking out of limbs everywhere. They looked familiar, but were dulled in the dark of night. He relaxed.

“I’m here too kiddo.” Mai said, dragging one of her clawed hands through her long hair.

“How did you two find us? What are you doing here?” Yugi blinked. It must have been serious if Mai had used her beast to fly in search of them.

“Ishizu asked us to help make sure you and Atem would make it into the southern kingdom safely.”

“She did?” Yugi blinked again in surprise. It seemed like everyone knew Ishizu. Or was it that _she_ knew everyone?

“Yugi hun, why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” Mai spoke up, moving around to stand beside Ryou to regard him.

Yugi immediately felt awkward, shifting some of his body behind Atem’s. “I had to use it to help patch up Atem’s wound. It was the quickest thing I could grab at the time.”

“Atem’s hurt?” Both Mai and Ryou looked over at the other, their eyes widening in the dark when they realised.

“I’ve got a cape and some bandages in my satchel- I’ll go grab them.” Ryou said, running over to his horse to rummage through the bags there.

“Is it still bleeding?” Mai asked.

“No, it’s stopped. I think his beast has good recovery powers.”

“It does,” Atem rasped, trying to move off of Yugi’s weight to stand by himself. “It doesn’t want me to die from a simple ‘flesh wound.’”

“That doesn’t look simple,” Mai muttered, leaning in to examine Atem’s stomach. “What caused that? Were you attacked by someone?”

“The king.” Atem answered bluntly.

“Ishizu wasn’t wrong then,” Ryou muttered as he returned, bandages and cape in hand. He handed the cape to Yugi, who immediately wrapped it around his shoulders.

Ryou examined Atem’s side, carefully peeling away Yugi’s shirt to assess the damage.

“You look alright- your beast’s healing powers are incredible, like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” He commented, prodding Atem once to gauge his reaction.

“Ow.” Was all Atem said, sucking in his breath.

“I’m sure you’ll be a lot better come a few days’ time, at this rate. Still, I’ll apply some bandaging over the gash. Yugi’s shirt is ruined I’m afraid.”

“It’s alright, better a ruined shirt than a ruined friend.” Yugi shrugged.

Atem glanced at him, his mouth open as if to say something. But whatever it was must have been deemed unimportant, as he shook his head and focused back on Ryou.

“There, all done.” Ryou nodded to himself at his handiwork.

“Thanks.” Atem touched the bandages gingerly, pulling back before he pressed too hard in curiosity.

“We should get moving- the faster we get you two to the border, the better off you’ll be.” Ryou said, motioning for Yugi to follow him. “I’ll take you on my horse Yugi. Atem, you’ll have to fly with Mai, since your beast scares them away.”

“Right.” Atem muttered, his eyes watching Mai in her beast form wearily.

“Don’t worry kiddo- it’ll be like you’re soaring through the sky.” Mai grinned at him.

* * *

 

With Mai flying Atem forward, and Yugi riding in tandem on Ryou’s horse, they picked up the time they had lost on foot and more. Ryou worked the horse into overtime, willing it to gallop down the roads as fast as it could. He seemed to know the road well, for there was never a reason for the horse to falter, and Ryou kept it on the most even parts of the path.

Mai was always ahead of them, even as she carried Atem tenderly in the air clutched in her talons.

They made good progress with the speed they travelled at. Compared to the five days Yugi predicted it would take for him and Atem to reach Rinew, it instead took them one and a half. Yugi thought he’d never heard of anyone making it from the palace to the border in under two days. He was pretty sure if he had anyone to talk to about it, they wouldn’t believe him.

“We’re here.” Ryou said suddenly, reigning in his horse to slow down.

“Already? That’s a lot faster than I thought it would take.” Yugi peered out from behind Ryou’s hair.

“I was pushing Amane here pretty fast.” Ryou said, patting the horse’s neck.

Yugi hopped down, Ryou following him as they waited for Mai. Yugi couldn’t resist looking over at the cluster of houses that marked Rinew. The last time he had seen this place, he had barely known Atem. They had been fighting most of the time, and Atem had given him a speech here about beasts and the power they contained. Thinking about everything that had happened since, he had to admit Atem had been right about most of it.

It didn’t take long for Mai to appear from over the tree tops, descending down to drop Atem gingerly on his feet.

“This is where you two continue alone- the border’s just there.” Mai said, pointing towards the ‘town.’

“You shouldn’t have any problem getting through- they’re pretty lazy guarding for this so called ‘war.’”

“We’ll jump the fence,” Atem nodded, already moving forward to make his way to the town before he turned back around. “Thank you for helping us. You didn’t have to, but I- we- appreciate it.”

“Yeah, Atem’s right. It was really nice of you guys to help us.” Yugi said, dipping his head.

“You’re welcome back with us at the dojo anytime kiddo,” Mai winked at him. “You too, mister grumpy.” She ruffled at Atem’s hair, who just grunted in return and swatted her hand away.

“If my cousin doesn’t skin me alive for returning unannounced like this, that is.” Atem sighed, beginning to walk away. Yugi made to follow, waving back at the two.

“Wait, Yugi.” Ryou’s voice stopped him. He pulled something off the packs of his horse. It was long, and had a cross shape towards the end. It looked like a…

“A sword?”

“It’s yours. Trust me, you’re going to need something that will do more damage than the wooden sparring tools we used.” Ryou held it out towards Yugi.

“I… I don’t know what to say. Is this really for me?” Yugi accepted it hesitantly, flipping it over to run his hand along the sheath.

“Yes, I was going to give it to you if you had stuck around for a few more days in Furenall, but the circumstances being what they are now, this is the best time for you to have it.”

Yugi nodded, sliding the blade out of its sheath to examine the steel. It dawned on him that this blade was a lot easier to hold than the sword he had swung around with Yami back at the palace.

He made to look up to mention this, when he saw Ryou grinning at him.

“A bit lighter than what you’ve felt before, isn’t it? I got it made specifically for a lighter wielder. It should suit you a lot better than a stock made sword.”

“Wow Ryou, I don’t know how I can thank you for this.” Yugi murmured down at his sword, sliding a thumb over the handle.  

“Just stay alive- that’ll be thanks enough.”

“I owe much to you two,” Atem spoke up, hobbling back over to the group. “I will make sure my cousin knows of your deeds. You are always welcome in his kingdom.”

Yugi thought it was strange, the way Atem worded it as his cousin’s kingdom. _Doesn’t he consider himself king…?_

“Thank you.” Ryou nodded, Mai mimicking the gesture.

They parted ways like that, Ryou swinging back onto his horse before the two disappeared into the forest. Atem and Yugi made their way towards the settlement, Atem managing to stand on his own without Yugi’s support.

“I think it’s getting better now.” He said when he noticed Yugi’s gaze on him.

“Ryou gave me some bandages from his supply- I can change your dressing when it gets too foul.”

“That would be greatly appreciated.”

“Just add it to the list of things you owe me- like a new shirt.” Yugi joked.

Atem just snorted in good humour, his eyes returning to their task at hand. Yugi joined him in analysing their next move.

It was sometime in the early afternoon, so they wouldn’t be able to climb the fence near the outpost, or they’d run the risk of being spotted and questioned for being suspicious. They would have to pass through the ‘gate’ like normal.

“Can you walk without a limp?” Yugi asked.

“I’ll try.”

“Good. I’ll take the lead. Speak up if you’ve got a better excuse than mine, okay?”

“Noted. Lead the way, ‘brother.’”

“No suggestions for other guises?”

“Not unless you’d rather be partners.”

Yugi rolled his eyes. “Right, brothers it is. Our hair is kind of similar in colour- I’m sure we could pass for brothers.”

They came down the main road, keeping strictly to the path to not rouse suspicion. They passed two people who glanced at them curiously- after all, not many people passed through the two kingdoms these days with the ’war’ going on. ‘ _The political scandal’ more like it, from the sounds of it,_ Yugi thought.

There was one guard leaning against the stone building that marked the ‘gate’ through the border. It was nothing more than a small two storey structure, barely passing for a tower or building. _Clearly the government’s budget for the war doesn’t go to the troops,_ Yugi frowned.

“Hello.” Yugi said, loud enough to get the guard’s attention. The other jumped a little at Yugi’s voice, looking over at him and Atem.

“Yes? What is it?” They said, their eyes narrowing suspiciously. They clearly didn’t recognise the two to belong to the village, and that mean they were outsiders. Yugi supposed he was happy with that- it was better than being recognised, after all.

“We’re here just passing through. May we?” Yugi said as politely as he could manage.

The guard continued to eye them up and down, their eyes lingering on Atem.

“What’s your names?” They asked.

“I’m Aaren, and this is my brother Kaalio. We’re from a village in the west. Small town.” Yugi said, pulling their old fake names out of the back of his mind. He had almost forgotten Atem’s in the time since he had needed to use it last.

“What business do you have in the other kingdom? We’re at war here.”

Yugi tried hard not to roll his eyes at that. _Yeah, because even the king says it’s not a real war._

“I believe you should be expecting us. My sister informed you of our arrival to trade with the other kingdom, did she not?” Atem said, stepping forward.

 _Sister?_  Yugi thought. Was he talking about Ishizu? Sure enough- as if expecting Yugi’s questions- Atem mouthed one word to him. _Ishizu_. Yugi would have to ask the woman how she managed to know _everything_ one day. Maybe he should just start to expect her hand at work to be everywhere.

“Ah yes, heading to Mirven wasn’t it? Very well, go on through.” The guard ushered Yugi and Atem past the building and onto the other side before resuming their position in the outpost.

Yugi walked as fast as he dared, not slowing down until he and Atem were a good distance away from the outpost and Rinew. It was then Yugi realised he had crossed into the other kingdom.

“Wow, I’m walking on the enemy’s grass.” Yugi joked, looking down at his feet as he stepped forward.

“You’ve done a lot worse than that, you know.” Atem said.

“Oh yes- travelled with the king of the opposite country, even slept in the same bed as him. So scandalous.” Yugi laughed, winking at Atem, who immediately had a blush sweep across his face.

“T-That’s not what I meant,” Atem said, ducking his head to hide his face. “And besides, my cousin is the king, not me.”

“But it should be you, right?”

Atem glanced at him in shock before looking away again quickly. “Let’s keep moving. It’ll take us at least a day to cross the desert to Mirven.”

“Did you just avoid my question?” Yugi said grumpily. _Don’t tell me we’re back to dancing around Atem’s past again._ “You promised you’d tell me what’s going on, Atem.”

“And I will- I swear it. Just… Not now, okay? I need some time to think, to prepare my words better. Okay?”

“Fine,” Yugi sulked, crossing his hands over his chest defensively. “But I’m going to ring the truth out of you, and it’s got to be before we reach the palace, alright?”

“Deal.” Atem nodded.

“Good… Wait, do you say desert?”

* * *

 

Sand. That was all Yugi could see. It stretched out over every piece of land visible in front of him, and even to the sides. No matter which way he turned (safe behind him), there was just endless dunes waiting to greet him.

“It’s not too far to the first village.” Atem spoke up, standing alongside Yugi. He still had a slight limp, and he would often try to walk bent over slightly to soften the stress on his stomach, but he could walk by himself now.

Yugi glanced at him, taking in Atem’s features. He was smiling sincerely, his gaze travelling over the dunes, his eyes soft. He looked content, more so than Yugi had ever seen since their meeting.

“Does it feel good to be back home?” He asked, breaking Atem’s concentration.

“It… Does. It’s nice.” Atem smiled at him before looking out on the sandy hills again.

“Well, we should probably push ahead now. Will we reach Mirven by nightfall?”

“Not sure- probably not. We should try to push for tomorrow though. Sleeping in the desert is a lot more dangerous than the woodland you’re used to, and night in the sand is freezing.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of an awkward ending, but I didn't want to shorten the chapter any more, so yeah.   
> Lemme know what you think, if you catch any errors I missed, etc. the usual ay. See ya next week.


	11. Bitter form of Refuge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a bit late this week- I've been away. But it's here now! Enjoy!  
> Chapter Title is from Dustland Fairytale by The Killers

Atem hadn’t been lying, Yugi admitted- the night had been _beyond_ freezing. He had never considered the desert- a place so scorching hot during the day- to become so cold overnight. It was like stepping into another world, only to return as the sun rose.

Except Yugi had been up before the sun had risen. Atem said it was because the temperature in the early dawn made it easier to travel, and they stood a better chance of reaching Mirven before nightfall if they travelled earlier.

And he had been right again. It was only reaching midday when Atem announced their arrival.

“Oh, we’re here.” Atem said, gazing at something in the distance. Yugi turned to match where he was looking, and then he saw it- a medium sized town, bigger than the sort he and Atem had passed through in Yugi’s home kingdom.

As they drew closer, Yugi could tell the houses were made from mostly clay- no doubt it served to keep the buildings cool against the desert heat.

“Ah, that’s right,” Atem placed a hand on Yugi’s shoulder, directing him back to him. “Would you lend me your cape for our time here, please?”

“Uh sure.” Yugi blinked as the other took a hold of his cape. Atem began to rearrange the positioning of it over himself, dragging the hood up over his head to hide his hair.

“So, how does it look?” Atem asked, dropping his hands from the hood to give Yugi the full view.

“It’s… Fine? I mean, it’s just a hood and cape, Atem. We don’t have to spend long in the town, and if I pick up the supplies for us you can avoid the areas busy with people.”

“I guess.” Atem admitted, a hand on his chin in thought. Then suddenly he glanced away from Yugi. “I’m… Sorry. You’ll have to go into the town with… Without a, um, shirt.”

Yugi had barely noticed he was once again topless. “Oh.” Was all he said, crossing his arms over his chest to at least hide some of it. “Do you think anyone will mind…?”

“Not in this heat.” Atem answered.

“Well, alright then. But you still owe me a shirt.” Yugi lead the way forward, picking through the curves in the sand until they were weaving between buildings.

Mirven wasn’t too big or small. From his earlier observations, Yugi could tell it was mostly a trading town- an outpost, in between destinations where people stopped to restock. _It would make a great middle point between the two kingdoms, if they weren’t quarrelling._

He got a few odd glances, but they never strayed for too long. No one paid attention to Atem, trailing behind Yugi in his hooded cape. He supposed he should be thankful for that- after all, people were less likely to know or care about him than they would if they knew who Atem truly was. _Which I still don’t even know, except he’s supposed to be the rightful king of this country,_ Yugi gave a huff at the thought. _It’s a slippery dance he does, but sooner or later I’ll wring the truth out of him._

The marketplace wasn’t too hard to find- seeing as how it was in the middle of all the houses, in the widest space available. _Time to put my experience to the test,_ Yugi thought. It wouldn’t be like the time he had gotten in trouble when he had met Atem. This time, he would play by the rules.

The first thing Yugi bought was a new tunic to replace the one Atem had unintentionally ruined. It was a simple thing of brown, and hung slightly off Yugi’s shoulders- a size too big for him, but not big enough to look like a dress. The air it created by not clinging to his frame would be a welcome addition in the desert.

Next he went shopping for their supplies. As it turned out the kind of fruit Yugi enjoyed- including pears- were hard to come by in the desert, and any piece available was at an exuberant price they couldn’t afford, much to Yugi’s lament. He bought hard fruits instead- and even a few edible flowers- the kind that would be easier to carry around and would sustain them longer. At least Yugi hoped so.

“We need a map of the land- a detailed one.” Atem spoke up, gaining Yugi’s attention.

“What is with your fascination with maps?” Yugi said as he shouldered a basket of fruit, adjusting it to sit in the crook of his arm nicely.

“I like to be prepared.” Atem said defensively.

“Don’t you know the land?”

“Maps still never hurt.”

“Uh-huh.” Yugi hummed, continuing to move down the stalls. By the end of it, he had a fairly full basket- just enough that it would feed them and not be too heavy to carry over long distances. Yugi had no doubt with the amount Atem travelled, that it was going to take a while to reach this kingdom’s palace.

“Here- let’s try this place.” Atem said, moving towards a stall back the way they came without waiting for Yugi’s reply. _Oh yeah, because_ you’re _not the one who has to carry everything, Atem,_ Yugi rolled his eyes, following the other over to stand in front of it.

“Hey, how can I help you?” The lady behind the stall said, leaning against the support beam of the wooden structure.

“We’re just looking for a map of the kingdom if you’ve got one.” Yugi said, taking over the lead as Atem looked through a pile of what looked to be charts and papers.

“Of course I do, people always need maps when they pass through Mirven,” She stretched forward over her wares, her hand reaching for a rolled up sheet of parchment. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Yugi took the map off of her, opening it to check it was correct. He didn’t know the layout of the land in the south, so he pretended to be interested in it as he tilted it for Atem to see instead. Atem gave him a sound of approval from behind his hood, and Yugi rolled the map back up. “We’ll take it.”

“What news is there of the routes?” Atem asked casually as Yugi exchanged money for the map.

“Nothing new- the east has had good trading recently,” The lady shrugged as she continued in a bored tone. “There’s news that we might have soldiers from the capital passing through in the next month or so. Seems the king is getting sick of the Northerners and their war.”

“What about the west?” Atem asked, and Yugi didn’t miss the way he had stiffened when the lady had mentioned soldiers.

The lady blinked back the shock that flashed across her face. “Wait- you’re _serious?_ You’re not planning on going that way are you?”

“My brother doesn’t joke often I’m afraid.” Yugi said, enjoying the look Atem shot him from under his hood.

“You know that there have been reports of the thief king out that way, right?”

“Thief king?” Yugi asked. “Who’s that?”

“Last I heard, he stuck to terrorising the trade route to the east,” Atem said. “Why would he be out west? There’s nothing to gain out there.”

“You’ve got some outdated information there friend,” the lady shook her head. “The king’s men chased him out of that route a few years ago. The thief king mainly attacks supplies in the south now, and retreats back to the old west route. I wouldn’t go that way if I were you folks.”

“We’ll keep that in mind, thanks.” Atem turned to Yugi, motioning with the smallest tilt of his head for them to leave. Yugi took the hint, letting Atem take the lead back through the stalls.

“We only have a few hours left of daylight, if that. It’s not worth another possible night on the road. It wouldn’t hurt to stop here and rest for the night before we continue on. The road ahead is dangerous- the faster we get through it the better off we’ll be.” Atem muttered, leading Yugi forward to what he presumed to be an inn.

“Why can’t we just go the other way- the longer, safer route? This way you want to go sounds dangerous.” Yugi asked in a hush voice as they entered- after all, they didn’t need unwanted attention.

Atem didn’t answer immediately, instead speaking to the innkeeper first before exiting through a back door and down a corridor. Yugi followed, looking around as the hall opened into a small plaza square. He noticed several doors lining the walls surrounding the place, all facing inward. It was like a square of rooms, all connected and yet kept separate.

“We don’t have the time- that’s at least two extra days’ worth of travelling. We need to reach my cousin at the palace as soon as possible,” Atem said in a low voice, dragging Yugi forward gently by his shoulder towards one of the doors. “This is our room.”

“Is it worth the risk, then? With this thief king possibly lurking around?” Yugi said, moving inside and closing the door to finish their conversation in private.

“I believe it is.”

“Then we’ll take this ‘shortcut.’” Yugi nodded, dropping all of their supplies to organise them into bags to carry. Until Atem felt strong enough to lift things again, it looked like Yugi would be carrying everything. Doesn’t Atem know s _hortcuts never end well?_ He thought with a grimace. _I give us two days before trouble arises._

* * *

 

Two days passed by travelling the western route through the desert and nothing Yugi could define as ‘trouble’ happened. The days had been fairly easy going. The pace Atem set them on was fair, and wasn’t taxing on either of their health. Which was just as good, because in Yugi’s opinion, even though Atem fared better in the heat than Yugi did, he was still in worse condition.

After the first day, Yugi had checked Atem’s wound again and found it was making good progress. It no longer needed bandages (which was good, since they were running out), the wound having clotted and sealed over. Atem would be back to his normal health soon enough, but for now he would still try not to exert himself too much.

Yugi tried not to think about how easily Yami had cut Atem down. He hadn’t expected someone of Atem’s power to have to worry about such a deep wound- one that would likely scar horribly. And yet, in some kind of strange, twisted way, Yami of all people had been able to inflict that kind of wound. Yugi still wasn’t sure how it had happened, the act had transpired so quickly, and all Yugi had seen was Atem’s back before he had collapsed. He had yet to let his mind wander properly to that day. It had almost been a week since then- or had a week already passed? What was Yami doing now, being the new king? What did he think of Yugi now? There were too many unanswered questions, and no one to give him the answers besides Atem, who just gave him the stock reply of ‘I’ll tell you soon, I promise.’

The second day in and Atem was even joking about having a sparring match. Whether it was to keep Yugi’s mood up, or to try to convince himself he was fine, Yugi couldn’t tell.

That night Yugi found himself back in the palace in his dreams. He was in the throne room again, but this time, he had shed his heavy armour. He was wearing the outfit he had been in for so many days travelling with Atem- his well-worn tunic and pants, except now the tunic was replaced with the new one he had bought in Mirven. It felt beyond comfortable on him, like he could run a marathon and still feel great in these clothes. They felt much better than the heavy armour he had sported before.

“Isn’t that an interesting thought, that you no longer see joy in the tools of a knight?” A voice called out softly. It was a voice Yugi knew well, and he couldn’t say he was surprised to hear it here, in this room now.

“Yami.” He turned around, seeing the other perched on the armrest of the throne.

“Yo.” He said in greeting.

“Don’t you ‘yo’ me, I’m not exactly happy to see you after what you did, you know.” Yugi scolded him, and to his surprise, Yami- or Dream-Yami, he supposed- glanced away, no longer meeting his eye.

“I know, you’re upset. And you have every reason to be. But this is a dream, Yugi. I’m not who you think I am.”

Yugi blinked, suddenly remembering the dreams he used to have of being a knight. When had he stopped dreaming those dreams? They seemed like so long ago.

“This is a manifestation of your mind,” Dream-Yami said nonchalantly. “It changes as you do, evolves with you. You no longer don knight’s armour because you no longer want to dream about that.”

“Can I ask why you’ve been acting so weird recently? I mean, you attacked Atem!” Yugi said, looking down at the spot between the two of them where Atem had been. The floor was clean of any blood stains in this dream, however.

Dream-Yami regarded him, an eyebrow raised. “ _I_ didn’t. The true me did, oh yes, but not me.”

“But you’re still Yami.”

“We’ve been through this before, Yugi, many weeks ago. I’m a figment of your imagination. I only show up when you want me to. And that happens to be right now- tonight.”

“…Okay, I guess I’ll buy that for now, but I’m not happy with you you know- _any_ incarnation of you.”

“You hate the part of your brain that perceives me- dually noted.”

Yugi felt his face scrunch up at that. “What are you even saying? And I thought normal you was confusing at the best of times.”

“Considering I only know what you know about me- then yes, I would also consider the real Yami to be unnecessarily confusing.”

Yugi paced slowly in front of the throne, walking back and forth. In this version of the throne room, the window wasn’t shattered like it was in real life. He wondered why some of the details were true to the current location, while some weren’t.

“I,” Yami’s face suddenly fell as his mouth hung open on the next word. “I don’t actually know the answer to that.”

“What’s this? Something Yami doesn’t know? That’s a first.” Yugi joked. Of course Yami didn’t know everything- and this was only Yugi’s dream version of him, so he knew even less, the equivalent of Yugi’s knowledge.

“I know. It’s quite shocking.”

“You know,” Yugi regarded the other. “You’re a lot nicer than the original Yami was. How come?”

“Ah, how come indeed? You tell me, Yugi.” Dream-Yami smirked at him, his arms folding across his chest as his legs continued to dangle off the armrest.

“I don’t know- that’s why I asked.”

Yami shrugged, accepting the response. “I suppose I represent the part of your friend that you still like- the part you want to be around. The part you want back. I’m here, and not out there.”

“I can believe that.” Yugi nodded, mostly to himself. What the other said made sense when he thought about it. It was like he was keeping the memory of his friend alive in his mind- or memories, he supposed.

“You wouldn’t happen to know why you went- insane, let’s say- in the real world?” Yugi tried.

“Afraid not,” Yami shrugged again, his eyes sad. “I don’t know what happened. A darkness took over, I think.”

“A darkness? What do you mean?”

Yami opened his mouth to answer when he paused, his eyes flashing with some emotion. “You need to wake up- now.”

“Wake up? Why?”

“The thief the lady in town warned you of is here, in your camp. Atem is still too weak to fight someone of this strength. We need to wake you up,” Yami jumped off the side of the throne, taking up the spot Yugi was pacing in just before. He looked up at Yugi, pausing to say, “How can we wake you up?”

“I- I don’t know. Will the medal work?” Yugi blinked back his surprise. The thief was in their camp? He needed to help Atem! Dream-Yami hadn’t been lying- Yugi knew Atem would have trouble calling on his beast in his condition, regardless of how strong Atem claimed to be. Yugi wasn’t sure how much the man could do without his beast, and with the injury he was still recovering from.

Yami snapped his fingers together, and a medal appeared in his hand. Wasting no time, he turned Yugi’s hand around and placed it in his palm.

They waited several moments for Yugi to disappear. Nothing happened.

“Blast it.” Dream-Yami cursed. “We need something new to represent what the medal once did.”

“What did it represent in the first place?”

“Your dreams, achievements, future goals.” Yami rattled off a list, waving his hand dismissively like the small details were unimportant.

“Umm, what about a sword?” Yugi thought out loud. He had been training so much over the past weeks, and it had really become the focus of his life- he wanted to learn to be a great sword fighter. It wasn’t a knight, but then again, that didn’t feel as important to Yugi anymore.

As soon as he had said ‘sword,’ a puff of smoke covered Yami’s hands. As soon as it disappeared, there was a sword in its place. It looked a lot like the one Ryou had given him.

“It worked! Here, take it!” Dream-Yami said, practically throwing the sword into Yugi’s arms. As soon as he made contact with it, the throne room dissolved before his eyes.

* * *

 

He snapped his eyes open to the expansive darkness of the night sky. The stars welcomed him back, their shine not quite as bright as before. It must have been early morning, before dawn.

He moved into a sitting position, his eyes immediately scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. He heard a grunt from behind him, making him roll on his side to reposition himself in the right direction.

Atem was in some kind of fist fight with a man. They had their hands locked, and were both trying to push the other back with their body weight. Atem was shorter, but the other man looked like he had more weight behind his fists. He slowly managed to gain some ground on Atem, breaking his grip with one of his hands only to bury it in Atem’s stomach the next second.

“Ack!” Atem dropped his hands, clutching his stomach. Yugi couldn’t supress the cringe he made over the action- that was where Yami had sliced across him just a few days past. It must have felt like fire was running across Atem’s gut.

Yugi jumped to his feet, grapping his sword that he had been sleeping next to and unsheathing it. He tried to quietly approach the two, but as soon as he saw the man produce a sword from his side, he ran forward to meet him.

“Your fight’s with me now.” Yugi spoke up, attracting the attention of the man. He must have been the thief they were warned about, and who Yami had mentioned.

Now that he was standing closer, Yugi could make out more details. He had short spiky hair that looked too bright in the dullness- probably white or grey. His clothes were a series of scarves wrapped around his shoulders and waist, one even going down the length of his torso. Yugi assumed the man was using them to keep his tunic on underneath. Yugi was much more interested in the sword the other was holding in front of him, however. It had a bent notch towards the end of it, creating a curved shape for the blade, as opposed to the straight steel of Yugi’s.

The man wasn’t wearing armour, so a slice to his stomach would wound him enough to hopefully scare him away. At least, that’s what Yugi thought.

He pulled his sword flush with his body ready to strike. The man barked out a laugh at him.

“You’re seriously going to fight me with that little stick? What is that, a tooth pick? I guess that’s what I’ll use it as when I toss your corpse into the desert for the vultures.”

“Yours isn’t even worth me taking when I win.” Yugi smirked, enjoying the way his insult slapped the grin off the other’s face.

“Bastard.” The thief muttered before he charged forward. He was aiming high, and Yugi prepared to block vertically with his sword. He was about to reposition it when he saw the other’s eyes dart downwards, and Yugi realised he was changing target in that split second.

The thief shifted his aim mere seconds from where he would have hit Yugi, his sword now descending on his feet. Yugi also shifted his sword, aiming for a diagonal block across the ground, just in time to hear their swords collide.

He resisted the urge to breath out a sigh of relief. This fight was different to the ones he had had with Ryou and Mai, and even with Atem and Yami. Those had been friendly matches, meant to train him for a fight like this. One where his life was on the line. He understood the gravity of the situation- for not only would he lose his life if he lost, but Atem would die too. _I’m not about to let that happen- it’s time I be the one protecting, not the protected,_ Yugi gritted his teeth. He could beat this guy. He just had to think quickly and strike when the chance came.

The thief pulled his sword up, trying to catch Yugi’s blade in the hook at the end of it. Yugi let him carry it part of the way up before crouching down and taking his blade with him, freeing it of the trap. The tip was now pointing towards the thief’s stomach, and he knew it as recognition flashed in his eyes.

He jumped back, avoiding the thrust Yugi pulled on him. One second later and he would have had Yugi’s toothpick in his stomach.

“You’re a lot smarter than the average traveller,” The thief spoke up, his eyes narrowing at Yugi. “Who are you?”

“You’re supposed to introduce yourself before you ask another’s name.” Yugi said none too politely, rising to his feet, still clutching his sword.

“ _Tch_ , who talks like that anymore? What are ya, some prissy rich kid?”

“I’m probably older than you,” Yugi resisted snapping at the other over the comment. He didn’t want to give the thief any fuel to light against him. “You going to leave with or without your stomach?”

“Oh-ho! Big words from the shrimp! Let’s dance then, shorty.”

Honestly the thief wasn’t that much taller than Yugi- a couple of centimetres at the most. Why did everyone insist on using his height as an insult? _People need to get more creative if that’s the best they can do,_ Yugi rolled his eyes.

He waited for the thief to charge him again, and when he did, Yugi changed his tactic.

He screamed. Loudly.

It was enough to throw the thief off balance, halting his movements and skidding to a stop to regard Yugi with a look of pure confusion and annoyance.

Yugi didn’t wait to hear what he wanted to say when the thief opened his mouth- he ran forward to close the distance between the two and promptly shoved his sword pommel into the thief’s nose.

“Ow- _fuck_!” He screamed, doubling back to hold his face with his free hand. “Fffffffffffuuuuuuck. I cannot _believe_ you just did that!”

“You’re a thief- it’s not like you play fair.” Yugi shrugged, even though the other had their eyes closed and couldn’t see the action. He walked forward, seeing his chance as the other snarled insults while he nursed his probably broken nose.

He stood right in front of the thief, placing a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He raised his sword horizontal, tapping the thief’s neck lightly with it- not enough to draw blood, but enough for the other to know the metal was resting there.

“Are you going to leave us alone now, or do I have to kill you?” Yugi tried to make his voice sound as serious as he could manage. The threat was hollow- Yugi had no intention of killing the other, even if he could be a serious threat to him, it just felt wrong. But he couldn’t let the other just follow them through the desert, waiting until they let their guard down again…

“You haven’t got the guts.” The thief spat, opening one of his eyes to glare into Yugi’s.

“Don’t make me.” Yugi warned, pressing his blade just a bit closer to back up his threat.

The thief just scoffed. “Go on then- _do it._ ”

_Shit_ , Yugi cursed. He had been expecting the thief to become cowardly when his life was truly threatened, but clearly this guy didn’t even care about his life.

Suddenly a shadow rose from behind the thief, and Yugi pulled back instinctively to see the new threat. It hit something over the back of the thief’s head, knocking him unconscious. Yugi was forced to whip his sword away to stop the other falling on it as he landed like a rock on the ground.

“If you’re not going to kill him, then we need to knock him out to give us a head start.” Came Atem’s voice. Yugi glanced over and sighed once he noticed Atem’s feature’s where there had only been shadow before.

“Would you have killed him?” Yugi asked, genuinely curious.

“Yes,” Atem said, frowning. “Otherwise he would just come back to finish us off. The kingdom would be a lot safer without Bakura around.”

“That’s his name? How do you know it?” Yugi blinked in surprise.

“One must know the happenings of the kingdom if one is to be crowed it’s king one day,” Atem said, his voice mechanic, as if reciting something from memory. “He’s been a pest to this land since my father was king.”

“Oh.” Yugi said, not knowing what else to add to that. “Should we kill him then? For your kingdom?”

“We should. But no, we won’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Atem crossed his arms, watching Yugi’s reaction. “You wouldn’t want me to, so I won’t.”

“I…” Yugi just gawked at Atem, blinking rapidly to try and process what he had just told him. Atem was doing this for him? Even if it meant possibly having to deal with the thief- Bakura later? Why was he doing this? Sure, Yugi was a bit uncomfortable with the action… And he didn’t particularly want to kill anyone. Maybe a few months ago he might have been okay with it, but then again, he was stupid and naïve back then. He knew Atem killed when he thought it was justifiable- and this was one of the circumstances where it would be. But still, he was willing to go against his better judgement to spare Yugi the responsibility and weight of the action.

“Thank you.” Was all he could say. It sounded lame, like he should be saying more, telling Atem just how much he appreciated the sacrifice. But that’s all he could say right now, his mind still whirling.

It was too early in the morning for this kind of intense thinking. Yugi wasn’t even a drinker but he could go for some alcohol after a night like this.

“No problem.” Atem just nodded, uncrossing his arms to move over to their supplies. “We better move out now- it’ll be light soon, and this is the best time to make progress in the desert.”

Yugi nodded, helping Atem pack up their equipment. They left the camp behind, Bakura’s sleeping form soon melding into the darkness behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I really love Dream-Yami. He's my fav ahaha, I couldn't just leave him alone~  
> Ahh yes and Bakura. For some reason, this is my favourite fight out of all of them. I wrote this entire chapter during a three hour train ride, and that's probably my best time management to date when it comes to fic writing ahaha. Especially compared to TLD, this fic was a lot smoother in the writing process. We just don't count this past month or so where I've just... Been writing another fic instead of the final chapter PHFT. Anyway, see you next week Space Cowboy!


	12. The Price that we all Pay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo only two more chapters left ahaha. Things are picking up to the finale!  
> Chapter Title is from True Faith by New Order

 

It was two days after their encounter with the thief, and he had yet to make a reappearance. Atem said they should reach the city by midday- the advantage of taking the western route was how much quicker it was, regardless of the danger. Not many people would take the risk, and so they didn’t have to fear running into anyone and Atem’s identity being revealed before he reached his cousin.

All in all, it seemed like the best time to finally grill Atem for the answers Yugi so desperately wanted.

“I think I’ve waited long enough to hear your explanations, don’t you?” Yugi asked, crossing his arms. His stance and tone left no room for argument, and Atem must have realised this as he sighed, shaking his head.

“You’re right. I’m sorry- I’ll… I’ll tell you now. About my past,” He stopped, breathing out slowly before turning back to Yugi. “So, what do you want to know?”

“How about you tell me why you left the capital? That’s a good place to start.”

“Alright,” Atem nodded, gesturing forward. “Let’s walk while I talk. In that case, it would be best to start a few months before I left- on the day I first found out about my god beast powers.”

* * *

 

Atem could barely believe what he had just heard. His eyes were almost comical with how huge and wide they were, and his mouth was agape uselessly. He made a pained sound that was halfway between a groan and a scream.

“Atem close your mouth, this is no time to be immature.” His father’s calm voice brought him back to the situation at hand. He shook his head, his mouth closing with an audible click and looking up at his father.

“I wasn’t being immature,” Atem replied slowly. “I’m just trying to process what you’re telling me. I’m… Confused.”

His father’s eyes softened at that, and he put down the paper in his hand. “I know it’s hard, son. And it’s happened so suddenly. I wish we had known sooner, but we cannot control when the gods will arise. It has been years since your ancestor wielded the power of Obelisk. Although that was further down your cousin’s line, it would seem the gods are not done with our family yet. I would think two wielders in one family would be too much, but Obelisk has been dead for many years now. It would seem the next god has awoken for their turn in the world.”

“Father, you’re confusing me. I know that my ancestor wielded a god beast decades ago, but what does that have to do with me? You’re not serious when you say-”

“Of course I’m serious Atem,” His father scolded him with a sharp look. “I know you’re young, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, it is a great honour to house the soul of a god beast- there is nothing stronger in this world.”

“But why me? I’m only fourteen, and I don’t want to have my beast. What… What is it going to do to me?”

“Nothing, if we can help it. We’re going to need to put you on a strict training schedule to help get your body accustomed to the power of the god beast. I will get to organising it all immediately. Be prepared to start your new training tomorrow, Atem.”

“But I don’t want the god bea-”

“You don’t have a choice, my son,” His father sighed, shaking his head. “It lives within you now, and you cannot dictate its will. All you can do is try to control it so it doesn’t consume you.”

“But I never asked for this.” Atem said, a lump beginning to form in this throat. He could tell his father would not appreciate him arguing the matter. He needed to be alone.

He tore out of the room, running blindly, ignoring the shouts of his father from behind. _I never asked for this._

* * *

 

 _I never asked for this..._ That thought haunted him over the following weeks.

His father- true to his word- had set up a new schedule for Atem, with more vigorous training. He spent more time honing his skills in anything his father thought would help with the god beast. But the only thing Atem felt was snappy and exhausted with all the added pressure. He still had his princely lessons and tasks to do, and this extra stress was doing his head in. _I’m only fourteen, why couldn’t they have waited longer? And to think my father wished it had come earlier…_

Atem let out a sigh, falling down onto the ground, leaning back against the wall. He was in the palace gardens, spending what little free time he had away from his instructors and teachers in solitude.

_Why couldn’t I just have some other beast? A fiend, or a spellcaster? Even just a regular dragon would have been better. That would have been ‘special’ enough for the crown prince. Why did it have to be a god beast?_

Some god above was looking down, laughing at him he was sure. But then again, since he had a god living in his body, maybe it was laughing from within him instead. What did a god even want in this world? Isn’t the view better from the sky, compared to the eyes of a fourteen year old boy? Or was there perhaps some kind of ‘innocence’ possessed in the young? Atem wouldn’t consider a teenage boy innocent, but then again, he was bias in that regard. And he had no idea what a god thought either.

“I don’t suppose we could make a deal for you to find another host, huh?” Atem whispered to himself. He wasn’t sure if the god within him could communicate, or if it had a conscious to begin with. Could it even speak, or was it just a presence he felt deep within?

If the god had answers, it chose not to give them to Atem. All he heard from within was silence, the only other sound the white noise in his ears.

“Can you even offend a god I wonder? What if I told you I hated the fact you chose me? Why bother coming down to the world when you could see it all from above,” Atem sighed, dragging his knees up against his chest, his head resting atop. “I never asked for this, you know.”

Silence greeted him once again, and he didn’t feel any power stir within him. He was beginning to think that this god either couldn’t hear him, or didn’t care for his self-worth. _Not much of a difference there to me._

He watched the sky start to darken, the sun beginning to move below the palace walls. He would be noticed missing by now, and no doubt had a lecture waiting for him from one of his teachers, or even his father. _I guess I’ll have to deal with it sooner or later, just like all of this…_

He rose to his feet, walking slowly around the garden to further delay the inevitable. But one thought refused to leave his mind as he moved.

_I never asked for this…_

* * *

 

The bells rang out, their haunting tones travelling all throughout the city. The whole city was sombre, the collective population weeping for the fallen king. The bells chimed again. It was the mark of death. Their king was gone. Atem’s fifteenth birthday along with him. They said he died of illness. Atem would never know if they were telling the truth.

With his father’s death came the crashing realisation that he was now expected to take the throne in his place. He was fifteen. He wasn’t ready for that kind of responsibility.

He had approached his cousin- a few years his senior- with the crown, asking- begging almost- for him to take the throne. But Seth wanted nothing to do with being king. He simply wanted to mourn in the wake of his lover’s death, who had succumbed to the same illness as the king. _The former king…_ Atem thought, choking on the lump in his throat.

His father had been right after all, he supposed- it would have been better to have had more time to prepare. But then surely his father hadn’t expected to pass so suddenly mere months after the revelation that a god beast had chosen his son as a host. No, Atem didn’t think so.

He felt the pangs of his beast as it stirred at his deep emotions, and Atem forced himself to breathe out deeply in response, until the sensation eased off. He had to keep his stronger emotions in check to keep from lashing out with his power. The only problem was he could barely control those emotions- especially now, after the passing of his father. Things were happening too fast, and he couldn’t concentrate properly. He didn’t want to think about the throne that loomed ahead of him in the future.

_I can’t do this anymore… I just… I can’t. It’s too much…_

He had to get out, get away from this all. The capital was too imposing, too stressful. He felt like he could barely breathe in the constricting humidity.

He had to find a place where he could be calm, where he could scream and cry and no one would hear him. _I need to leave the palace… In fact… The whole capital,_ Atem thought sadly. _No one is safe while I’m around with my unchecked emotions…_

* * *

 

Atem looked down at the note and sighed. He hoped his cousin would understand. He knew Seth would blame him only a little for running away, but still, the guilt was enough to eat away at what little resolve he had worked up. _I can’t afford to back out now, I just… I’m not ready yet. I’ll come back Seth, I promise. Just give me time. Please._

He dropped the letter onto the table, turning to walk out the door, not looking back. There was no turning back from his decision now- there was no point turning back to see what he was leaving behind.

With his mind made up, Atem left the palace behind him, disappearing into the darkness of night.

* * *

 

“And then I ran into Ishizu’s brothers Marik and Rishid in the western desert. They found me wandering around, and decided to take me to their temple in the western mountains. That’s how I met Ishizu and started training under her.” Atem sighed, a fake smile plastered on his face.

“So you spend all six of the years you were away there?” Yugi asked into the sand by his feet. He could tell Atem was trying to keep the mood light, regardless of the depth in his words. Yugi thought he owed it to the other to not mention it and try as well.

“I did. I travelled occasionally with Marik outside of the temple, once to Furenall- I wasn’t lying when I told you I had visited the city before- and other times to a smaller settlement in the west, by the base of the mountains.”

“What sent you out east then? When I was kidnapped?”

“Ishizu did. She said, ‘you ought to check out the small villages along the border. There might be something there worth your time.’ I didn’t know what she meant at the time, but I assume she meant you. I ran into the guy who hired those bandits to kidnap you.”

“You did?” That caught Yugi by surprise. “Who was it? What happened?”

Atem raised an eyebrow at him. “He’s dead. He pulled a knife on me, and I wasn’t inclined to let him use it. I gathered where the drop point was for his deal, and that’s how I ran into you and those bandits. I don’t know who he was, but it looked like he was just trying to cause trouble. Some greedy merchant trying to drive up the price of something for this ‘war,’ or something like that. I didn’t really care, so I never thought about it.” He shrugged his nonchalance.

“Huh, go figure. Then again, you’d have to be very stupid to organise a kidnapping and murder of royals like that. I can only image how it would have went down if you had to save Yami instead of me.”

Atem pursed his lips, humming. “Probably for the best it was you, then. If your friend really is packing a god beast, then it really wouldn’t have ended well to clash with him like that. Even if his beast wasn’t awoken, it would have stirred at the close presence of mine, and he would have experiences mood swings he couldn’t explain, ending in him most likely losing control.”

“Do you think that’s what happened? Because I left? He was all alone, I mean-”

“Don’t worry about it right now,” Atem said, his expression softening. “You’ll wear yourself out with that guilt and worry. Besides, we’re actually here.”

“Wait seriously?” Yugi’s eyes widened in surprise, looking around.

“Yup. Welcome to the capital city of Siegric, Yugi.” Atem beamed, sweeping his hand in front of them as Yugi staggered forward over the sand to get a better view.

The city was an impressive size- rivalling Furenall easily. Lots of smaller houses dotted the city, with the outskirts being a good distance between buildings, while slowly getting increasingly tighter together the closer they got to the heart of the city. And that was no boast. The palace was clearly the focal point of everything. It had a wall surrounding the inner building network, but even from this distance Yugi could tell it was _impressive_.

“That’s your home?”

“Yep. Pretty cool, isn’t it?” Atem laughed. “It gets better closer up too.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Yugi said excitedly. Atem’s hand was suddenly on his arm, holding him back.

“Woah woah, slow down Yugi. I can’t walk into Siegric like this.” Atem said before his eyes moved down to Yugi’s cape. “Mind if I borrow your cape as a disguise?”

“Oh, yeah, opps. Forgot about the whole, ‘missing for six years, can’t have anyone recognise you’ thing.” Yugi laughed, untying his cape before handing it to Atem.

* * *

 

They walked through the outskirts, weaving their way through the houses and people. Yugi lead the way this time, although Atem would mutter directions to him when he made a wrong turn. Atem followed behind, Yugi’s cape wrapped around his shoulders and head, creating a hood that cast a shadow over his face.

It took a considerable amount of time for them to move through the city, but somehow they made it to a plaza at the front of the palace.

“Wait, not here.” Atem tugged at Yugi’s tunic, motioning with his head down an alleyway. Yugi nodded, moving into the shaded space before turning back to Atem.

“So what now?”

“Come on, we can see the palace better from up here.” Atem gestured up a ladder leaning on a wall next to him.

“Are we allowed on this person’s roof?” Yugi asked skeptically.

“No.” Came Atem’s reply before he holstered himself up on the ladder to climb up.

 _Of course,_ Yugi scoffed to himself before following Atem up the side of the building. He hopped onto the roof, moving over to the edge where Atem had crouched down.

“I don’t need this up here, and you’ll burn easily in the sun- here.” Atem said, handing Yugi back his cape.

“Er… Thanks.” Yugi nodded, slipping the fabric over his shoulders and pinning it in its place once again.

“We need to get into the palace.” Atem said once Yugi crouched down next to him.

“And how do you suggest we go about doing that?” Yugi glanced over at Atem.

The younger man frowned, squinting his eyes at the building in the distance. “I’m not sure.”

“What if you just went up to the guards and told them you were the rightful king, and you wanted to speak to your cousin?” Yugi suggested.

“I doubt it would work,” Atem snorted. “And besides, if it did, Seth would skin me alive for arriving unannounced for everyone in the city to see. We need to be discreet.”

“Well what else would you suggest?” Yugi went down to sit on the rooftop fully, crossing his arms with a huff. This was becoming more trouble than he had expected it would. Then again, he hadn’t stopped to consider the fact that Atem had _run away_ from the city.

He looked back up at Atem when he felt the other staring. “What is it?” He asked, his eyes narrowing when he saw the grin on Atem’s face.

“ _I_ might not be able to enter for fear of being recognised, but no one has ever seen you before. They wouldn’t know the first thing about _you_.”

Yugi felt his eyes widen in shock at the implication. “Oh no, you are _not_ implying what I think you’re implying…”

“Come on Yugi, no one will know who you are-“

“That doesn’t matter!”

“But we need to get in!”

“No! I am not walking up to those gates to request an audience with your cousin!”

* * *

 

 _I can’t believe I’m walking up to these gates to request an audience with Atem’s cousin, Yugi_ grimaced. Atem was taking the total blame for whatever happened to him here.

He adjusted the positioning of his cape, pulling it closer around him as he continued to walk forward. He weaved around the other people in the plaza until he was standing at the bottom of the steps. The giant imposing gates that granted access into the palace sat shut to him, barring him entrance. Two guards were positioned on either side of the gates, and small watchtowers above them held more guards, while others walked the walls. _No way would Yami ever be able to siege this city if the war was real,_ Yugi thought. _Not even his precise thinking could yield a defence like this._

“Halt! State your name and business in the palace.” One of the guards said as Yugi approached. It gave him a sense of déjà vu. _I guess the kingdom’s have quite a few similarities after all._  

“My name is Yugi Mutou and-” Yugi froze. _Shit, I don’t have an excuse planned! ATEM!_

“And your business?”

“Ah… I must speak with the king.” Yugi tried.

“Do you have a document to prove your intentions?’ The other guard said. Yugi swallowed nervously. The pressure of having them both stare him down was crazy. _Shit shit shit what do I do? Why didn’t Atem give me anything to go by!_

“There you are!” A voice chirped up from behind him. Yugi spun around, not having recognised the voice at all.

A young girl was standing behind him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. A wide, warm smile greeted him, and she waved his way before sliding against his side, hooking an arm around his.

“Silly Yugi, trying to enter the palace without me! You can’t leave me behind when you’re supposed to be escorting me!”

 _Escort? Who is this girl?_ Yugi thought, his eyes wide and his brows lowered. He didn’t know her at all. Even her outfit was foreign to him- he’d never seen robes like them before. She was clearly a local of the area, but she must have confused him with someone else. _But she said my name… There’s no way she’d know my name unless…_

“Mana! How did you get out? You’re not supposed to be outside the palace unless you have an-“

“An escort? What do you think he is, chopped liver?” The girl- Mana- pouted, leaning closer into Yugi, who wisely stayed silent throughout the exchange.

The guard looked over him wearily, and Yugi forced himself to stand a little taller under the gaze.

“Alright fine, you better head back in now though.” The guard said finally, turning around to motion to the other guard.

After a few lines were said, the gates were opened, and Mana promptly dragged Yugi inside.

The front entrance was grand, the doors leading inside carved with more grace than Yugi thought possible. The wooden frames looked out of place amongst the smooth stone of the surrounding walls. Everything was done in warm tones, probably to match the desert, and it was soothing. Yugi didn’t feel dread from the place like he thought he would originally. _Guess it was more of my misplaced fear and hatred talking._

“Well that worked out well for both of us,” Mana chirped, glancing over at him. “So what business you got with our king?”

“Well… It’s kind of, classified.” Yugi stammered as they entered through the doors.

“What kind of classified? What if I told you I was his right hand woman?”

“ _You’re_ the king’s advisor?” Yugi blinked back his shock as Mana laughed at him.

“No silly, but I am his apprentice. The king’s advisor, I mean.”

“Would you be able to get me an audience with the king?”

“Probably not. Certainly not if you’re not going to tell me why you need to see him.”

“Well…” Yugi sized Mana up, leaning back on one of his feet to consider his options. He had no idea who Mana really was, so he couldn’t just go throwing Atem’s name around, especially when people most likely hadn’t heard it for six years. _Or have they…? Maybe I could…_

“Say… Mana… You wouldn’t happen to have known the king’s cousin, would you?” Yugi asked, trying to sound casual. It didn’t work.

Mana tensed immediately. “Why do you ask?” She said, her usual loftiness gone, her tone guarded.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to strike a nerve- I was just wondering if you knew Atem.” Yugi tried again. Obviously dropping the name meant something to Mana, for her eyes widened.

“How do _you_ know his name?!”

“Because he’s the one who sent me here.” Yugi said, letting his words sink in.

“He… _What?_ ” Mana said, her mouth gaping open in shock. “You’re lying- Atem’s been missing for six years. I didn’t help you back there so you could throw that back in my face. I thought you were someone nice.”

“I’m a friend of Atem’s- I promise you I am not lying.”

Mana huffed, eyeing him wearily. “Okay, say I magically believed you. Why would he send you into the palace when you can’t even get through the gates? And why not come in himself?”

 _When you get into the palace, you need to convince my cousin of my return- make him believe you,_ Atem’s words rang in his mind. _Easy for you to say, you’re not the one trying to convince everyone their missing friend sent some stranger to them,_ Yugi almost growled to himself in frustration. He had no idea how he would convince Mana to believe him!

And then suddenly, Mana burst out into a fit of laughter. Yugi watched her in shock, his head tilted in confusion as she doubled over.

“I’m s-sorry! I just… It’s just so funny.” She said around the giggles.

“I- what’s funny?” Yugi asked her. Mana held up a finger, motioning for him to wait while she regained her composure.

“It’s just such a typical Atem thing to do. Send in his friend who looks like he knows nothing about us, to get an audience with the king. Like his cousin will just let someone who looks like they’re form the North just waltz in!”

“I…” Yugi was at a loss for words. He had no idea what to do with this information. Mana apparently seemed to take pity on him when she spoke up next.

“Look, when I was out snoopin- er, I mean walking around outside the palace, I saw you and Atem climb up that building onto the roof. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what Atem was doing, and also… I er, may have eavesdropped a little. Just a little! That’s how I got your name.” Mana explained, smiling sheepishly as she stopped talking.

“Um… Okay, I think I get it but… So are you his friend or…?”

“Of course! I’m one of Atem’s best friends! Back when he was the prince, we were the trouble duo- nothing was safe from our master pranks!” Mana beamed, clearly proud with the title.

“So can you get us an audience with his cousin then?” Yugi said, trying to steer the conversation back to the topic at hand.

“Oh yeah, I can totally get us into Seth’s study during one of his sessions. Every midday he takes his lunch into his study to sort through piles of paperwork. He’d be in there right now actually, you wanna go?”

“But what about Atem? I have to let him know I’m inside and-“

“No no, don’t worry about Atem- he’s fine. He’s probably already in the palace honestly. He’ll find his own way in, but for now, you need me to get you into Seth’s study.” She winked at him, looping her arm back through Yugi’s as she pushed him forward.

“Um… Okay then.” Yugi said lamely. He wasn’t sure what else to say, so he just let Mana lead him through the winding passages of the foreign palace. In some ways, it was kind of similar to his own- they both had long and short passages, wide enough for two people to pass through comfortably. And they both seemed to be fond of light, creamy tones for the walls, although Yugi noticed several other hallways they passed by had more oranges in the paint. _Perhaps they lead to certain places in the palace- that would be a smart system. It would certainly make it harder to get lost…_

“Here we are! Seth’s study chambers.” Mana grinned, grabbing the door’s handle. Yugi had little time to prepare anything as she swung it open, dragging them both inside.

The room was fairly big for a study chamber- but then again, it _was_ the king’s, according to Mana. There was a large desk occupying a good portion of the room, and a bookshelf crammed in beside it. The rest of the room was dedicated to two couches that sat opposite each other, a table between them. And that was where they found the king of the Southern kingdom, Atem’s cousin- Seth.

He was a very tall man, his whole postured slouched over as he examined the sheets on the table. His torso was covered in blue robes wrapped around each other, while his arms and legs were bare, safe for a few gold bands that encased parts of his arms.

“Mana, once again disobeying orders and tradition.” Came Seth’s deep voice. The man didn’t even bother to look up as he spoke. _Does he know I’m here or…?_ “And why is there a Northerner in my study chambers? Care to explain?”

 _Oh, guess he does,_ Yugi thought, blinking away his surprise. “Well I’m here because At-”

“Not you, I’m talking to Mana.” Seth cut him off, finally looking up to acknowledge Yugi. His eyes were a piercing blue, the exact opposite of Atem’s colour, and yet they held the same intensity.

“Come on Seth, there’s no need to be so mean!” Mana butted in, waving her arms. “And besides, he’s come to tell us Atem’s back!”

Dead silence rung out after Mana finished speaking. Seth didn’t move- not even his chest was expanding, and Yugi was under the impression he had sucked his breath in. Mana blinked more than necessary, her eyes shooting between Seth and Yugi, but she held firm in her posture. Yugi wanted to fidget nervously, but told himself it wouldn’t look good to do so in front of the king.

“You have seven seconds to leave this room before I toss you in the dungeons for the rest of your life.” Seth said, his tone as icy as his eyes.

Yugi swallowed back his apprehension. He wasn’t expecting Atem’s cousin to be uptight- he was almost the polar opposite of Atem! _How am I going to get out of this one?! It sure is a fine mess you’ve backed me into Atem!_

“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t hurt my friend there.” A familiar voice called out. Yugi sighed in relief before allowing confusion to take over. _Wait… If he’s here, then how did he get in…? Mana was right! Why did I have to go through all that if he was just going to…!_ Yugi spun around to shoot an angry scowl at Atem, only to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

The other was completely soaked, his clothes drenched and his hair drooping under the pressure of retaining water.

“Yo, I see you actually managed to get through the gates, colour me impressed.” He said, giving Yugi a wide grin. _I’ll be colouring you red if you give me a moment,_ Yugi swore, narrowing his eyes. He was just barely containing the rant he wanted to unleash at the other.

“Atem.” Seth said, his arms crossed as he abandoned the papers on the desk. He didn’t seem surprised in the least about Atem’s appearance.

“Cousin.” Atem replied, his voice as even as Seth’s was. There was a kind of tension between the two, and Yugi suddenly didn’t think it was wise to be stuck in the middle of them. After all, Atem _had_ been gone for a few years- and to suddenly appear again without prior warning was sure to hurt just a little…

Then there was a knock on the door. Everyone froze.

“My king? There is a lot of water leading through the hallway into your quarters. Are you alright?” Came a voice on the other side.

Seth acted first, quickly pushing Atem behind a curtain with one hand before grabbing Yugi’s arm and repeating the action. Yugi gave a small grunt of protest as he was pushed up against Atem’s wet chest before Seth draped the curtain in front of them. He could already feel the water from Atem’s clothes seeping into his own tunic, no doubt ruining the weak material.  

“Be quiet.” Seth hissed before moving away. He heard Atem laugh softly, and he shot him an unimpressed look before turning away. _He’s clearly enjoying this,_ Yugi thought, shaking his head lightly _._ From his position, he could just make out the top halves of Seth and Mana as they faced the door. 

Seth moved back to his original position before he grabbed a pitcher of water that had been lying around and promptly tipped the entirety of its contents over Mana. She squealed in shock at the no doubt cold liquid, but was ignored by Seth as he opened the doors to his quarters.

“Yes, what is it Mahaad?” He said in a clipped tone. He stepped back to allow the man in front of him to step forward, and Yugi could see him now.

Mahaad was tall, tall enough to even rival Seth’s height. His whole appearance was practical and yet formal- he had the look of a priest or advisor about him. He was probably both.

He gasped when he saw Mana. “Mana, you’re soaked! Why are you trailing water into the king’s room? What did you do?”

“I saw something shinny in the pond- you can’t blame me for falling!” She whined.

“But why were you-”

“Mahaad if you could take her to get cleaned up I would appreciate it. And then send her back if you would- we have something to discuss.” Seth said, cutting Mahaad off with a wave of his hand dismissingly.

“O-Of course, your majesty,” Mahaad blinked before turning to Mana. “Come along Mana, let’s go.”

Mana grumbled something Yugi was too far away to hear before following Mahaad out the door. Mahaad closed it behind them, and they were left alone with Seth.

“It would not be wise to announce your presence just yet.” Seth said in explanation and they shuffled out from behind the curtain. Yugi nodded in understanding, while Atem just snickered.

“That’s the most fun I’ve ever seen you have, Seth.” He said jokingly.

“Probably because I’ve been too busy running my cousin’s kingdom for him since he left.” Seth said, the venom in his voice thick. It stopped Atem’s joking mood immediately.

“I know I walked out-” Atem tried to speak, but Seth interrupted him.

“Oh you did more than that _cousin_. You left an already broken kingdom in ruins. Did you even stop to consider what the people would think? When their crown prince disappears with no reason nor trace, moments after their king passes?”

“I-”

“No, obviously you didn’t care,” Seth grunted, shaking his head. “And what were you doing, that was so important you couldn’t let us know for _six years_ where you were?”

“I was in the west, training to control my beast.” Atem muttered. The reason wasn’t good enough for Seth it seemed, as the king threw up his hands.

“Are you kidding? Six years, Atem! Six years you were gone! Unless you were off fighting that blasted Northern King, you really have no excuse! Your responsibility was to your people, and you didn’t deliver.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Atem said, frowning deeply. “You think I didn’t think about how I had failed every day I was away? It wasn’t all sunshine and happy days for me either you know, I worked hard to tame my beast!”

“Then why are you only now returning, Atem? Tell me why you’re here, and why you brought someone from the North with you, unannounced into my chambers.” Seth levelled his cold gaze on his cousin, his eyes only flickering to Yugi momentarily.

When it looked like Atem wasn’t going to continue speaking, Yugi joined in the discussion. “How do you know I’m from the North?” He asked.

“It’s so obvious- you haven’t once showed me the proper respect of being king.”

Yugi opened his mouth to argue further, but clammed it shut, the retort dying on his tongue. This wasn’t his place to intrude in- this was between Atem and his cousin right now. He glanced at Atem, gauging his response.

Atem was silently sulking by the looks of it, shooting daggers with his glare into his cousin.

“Don’t whine to me Atem. In all honesty I’m the one who has the right to whine- I’ve had to take a throne that was never mine. And I never wanted it.” Seth ran a tired hand through his hair. It was only just past midday, and yet the other looked ready to collapse. _The price of the throne is a heavy weight,_ Yugi thought, a pang of empathy passing through him.

“I know.” Atem said softly. Seth stared at him, pausing in his movements. He let out a haggard sigh.

“The why did you leave? All I got was a sentence and a letter, which was worth almost nothing for the stress I’ve had to endure. You’re not the only one who’s lost someone precious, Atem.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I was young and stupid. I was worried that… My beast would be too powerful, and it would consume me.”

Seth groaned again, shaking his head. “I’d tell you to quit worrying so much, but you’d just worry more then. Fine then, we’ll talk more tomorrow. For now, I need to process all of this before the whole palace finds out their true king has returned. I don’t need that kind of added stress, but the council should at least know. You’re going to have to explain yourself to them with me tomorrow I hope you know.”

“I do.”

 “Good, then get out. You still remember where the king’s chambers are?”

“Yes of course… You didn’t take them?” Atem blinked in surprise.

“I never wanted the role, so I never want the chambers. Besides, mine work well enough. Take your friend here form the North with you. You’ll have to explain _him_ too.” Seth waved a hand at Yugi dismissively before turning back to his work, promptly ignoring them both now.

“We better go,” Atem whispered, taking Yugi’s hand in his own. “Come on, I’ll lead the way.”

 _Well it’s not like I can, since I have no idea where to go,_ Yugi thought, but decided not to say it. Atem had enough problems now, and Yugi’s sarcastic comments wouldn’t help him at all. So instead he let Atem lead him down the long corridors until he stopped in front of a large door.

“This is the king’s chambers.” Atem muttered, but whether it was to himself or to Yugi, Yugi couldn’t tell. Atem was staring at the door, his hand raised as if to push the handle open, but he was hesitating.

Yugi could sense he needed a moment, so he waited for Atem to compose himself.

After a few moments Atem straightened, blinking several times before clutching the handle. “Sorry, let’s um, go in now.” He pushed the door open before Yugi could respond. _That’s probably going to be a common thing while we’re here._ Yugi just shrugged, and then stopped, a thought forming a frown on his face. But how long would that be? Just how long did they plan to stay here? He knew he had to face up sooner or later to what had happened with Yami in the other kingdom, but to Atem this was his home. _What if he wants to stay now? It’s not like my kingdom’s problems are his after all…_

He sighed, shaking the thought away. It wasn’t worth worrying about that right now. He walked forward, following Atem inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading/getting this far! B)


	13. Completely in Command

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh geez, only one chapter left. I can remember a year ago when I was excitedly talking to a friend about the first few chapters I had had written of this fic ahaha. Time sure does fly wow. I'm not particularly happy with this chapter, but I've been staring at it looking for things to change and it's doing my head in. So, here it is.  
> Chapter Title is from Pale Shelter by Tears For Fears.

 

“The other kingdom has a new ruler, did you know that cousin?”

“Of course I knew that,” Seth snapped, glaring up from the paper he was holding. “I’d be a foolish king if I didn’t know the movements of my enemies. Some young spark who probably thinks it’d be great to march on us in a full blown war.”

_Yami’s not really that young,_ Yugi thought, wisely keeping his opinion to himself. He didn’t think Atem’s cousin would be thrilled with his careless remarks, nor the fact Yugi knew such things about the other king. Instead he sat in the room, listening patiently as the two cousins discussed their position.

“What are the chances of a treaty? Have you made contact yet?” Atem asked.

“No- I’ve heard nothing from them since the news reached us of the shift in power. I don’t know anything about this new king.”

And suddenly Atem turned to look at Yugi and Yugi balked. _No… Atem don’t!_ Yugi silently pleaded with his eyes, but Seth was too quick. He followed Atem’s gaze, his attention resting on Yugi.

“You are from the north, correct?” -Yugi nodded slowly- “Do you know who the new king is?”

Yugi looked wearily between Atem and his cousin. This man was the king of the country his had been at war with for years now. He didn’t know this man. But he knew Yami. _At least I think I do,_ he corrected himself, remembering the way Yami had cut Atem down like it was nothing. But then he also remembered laughing over trivial matters with the other, joking easily without fear of being chided. Yami was his _friend,_ even through all this confusion he felt. And it didn’t feel right to just give away all of his friend’s secrets to a powerful man he had only just met. _Even if that’s what Atem wants me to do._

It was either betray Atem or Yami- one or the other. _Nothing is ever simple,_ Yugi thought with a sigh.

“His name is Yami- other than that, I don’t know who he is.” Yugi said, giving Atem a pointed look. Atem tilted his head, an eyebrow raised in confusion, but he didn’t comment, and for that Yugi was thankful. He would have to explain himself later, when they were alone no doubt.

“Well a name doesn’t mean much if there isn’t a face and actions to put to it,” Seth muttered, returning his gaze to the table. “We’ll talk more on this later- for now, go take a damn shower Atem, you stink.”

“Rude, cousin- I bathed just the other day!” Atem’s face screwed up, and Yugi almost thought he would even stick his tongue out in a childish gesture. He didn’t, however, and simply swept out of the room. Yugi ran out after him, not wanting to be left behind with his cousin.

“Alright so,” Atem said once Yugi was keeping pace beside him. “Care to explain what happened in there?”

“Well to be fair, if you look at this from my point of view, it’s like giving away all of my country’s secrets to a powerful man I’ve never met before. Who, might I add, happens to be in such a position of power that he could make use of those secrets to do harm.”

“Seth just wants an end to this war, like most people. Can you say the same about your king?”

“About my king? No, because I don’t know. But about my friend? Atem, I don’t want to see him get hurt.”

“Yugi…” Atem turned to him, halting his movements. His eyes were glazed over. “Yami was the one who hurt me.” He touched the fabric over his scarred stomach as he spoke.

“I know,” Yugi whispered, suddenly feeling horrible. “I’m sorry. I just… He’s my _friend_ , Atem. Something’s happened to him, and he… He needs my help.”

Atem sighed deeply, bringing a hand over his face. “Are you sure? How do you know he will accept your help should you offer it?”

“Because I’m going to force him too. I’m going to slap him out of whatever mood he’s in and get him to think rationally again. That’s what friends do Atem. They help each other out.”

“I don’t think you need to lecture me about what friends should do.” Atem said quietly, looking away. Yugi had hit a nerve of some kind, he knew.

“I’m sorry Atem. You’re a good friend- I’m not trying to insult you, I’m just-“

“It’s fine, I understand what you are saying. You’re not running away from your problems. You’re trying to face them. I respect that. And you’ve done a lot for me these past months.”

Yugi smiled. “Of course- that’s what friends do for each other.”

Atem seemed to be caught off guard at that, his gaze coming up to meet Yugi’s. A hesitant smile crossed his face before it suddenly disappeared. Yugi frowned, his brows creasing in confusion.

“Are you alright?”

“Hm? Oh yeah I’m fine. I just remembered. You don’t know anything about god beasts, besides what I’ve told you, do you?”

“Not really, can’t say I’d ever heard the term before either. Why?”

“Because… It might just be my hunch, but… From the way your friend was talking, I think he might have… One.”

“You mentioned that before I remember. You really believe Yami’s beast is a god beast?”

Atem nodded. “Yeah, I think it is. There’s one of the three god beasts that not much is known about, and according to legends, it’s supposed to be more powerful than both that of mine and my ancestors.”

“But no one has ever seen it before? How would you know Yami’s was this god?”

“No, the beasts only choose one wielder- once that wielder dies, they leave this plane for good. When I die, Osiris- my beast- will return to the heavens. It’s the same as how Obelisk has been gone for many years, since its wielder died,” Atem explained. “Although I’ve never heard mention of the Winged Dragon before, so this is news even to my family. I’m sure Seth wouldn’t be very happy to find out his number one threat right now is in possession of the third, most powerful god beast.”

“But how can you be sure? I mean it might help to explain some things, sure, but still…?”

“It’s what he said to me that’s got me thinking,” Atem scratched his chin, his head tilted as if to help recall the memory. “He said, ‘ _You’re not the only one with a god beast_ , _wielder_ _of_ _Osiris_.’ I can’t imagine why someone living in the palace of the Northern Kingdom would know about my god beast. Unless someone was spying on me during the year I spent training here with it, but that doesn’t seem as logical, otherwise something in the balance of power would have shifted when I had run away. He would have acted on it, I’m sure. Your friend doesn’t seem one to waste an opportunity.”

“He doesn’t- believe me.” Yugi nodded.

“So that leaves me with one path of reasoning left- He possesses one of the god beasts.”

“But how would that make him know about yours?”

Atem hummed, scrunching his nose up in thought. Yugi took the chance to glance around, realising that they were standing in the middle of a corridor. He tentatively started to take steps forward, moving their conversation closer to the king’s chambers. Atem seemed to catch on, as he started to walk with Yugi while he spoke.

“I think it’s a god beast thing. We can… Sense each other, I guess. He must have been able to hide his, however, for I didn’t feel his god aura until he had tapped into it. Which makes me wonder…”

“Wonder what?” Yugi couldn’t help asking.

Atem shot him a glance, a sad smile on his face. “It took me years to get my beast under enough control that I wouldn’t have to fear losing myself to its power… Powerful emotions from the wielder tend to… Escalate the effect of a beast, and if a beast was to become awoken from said powerful emotions… It is possible it would… Take over immediately.”

Atem’s words seemed to dance around what he was trying to imply, but Yugi painfully understood what he meant to say.

“You think… Yami lost himself because of…” _What happened with me?_ Yugi left the rest unsaid, joining Atem’s tentative ground. He could tell that was what Atem wanted to say, but he must have known how Yugi would feel over the idea, and so didn’t outright say it.

Although Yugi couldn’t deny the truth in his words… It made a lot of sense, and would explain why Yami was acting so differently when Yugi returned. _But how am I supposed to save him if he’s already gone then…?_

Atem pushed open the door to the chambers- Yugi hadn’t even realised they had arrived. He must have seen Yugi’s sullen expression for he placed a hand on his shoulder, waiting until Yugi locked gazes with him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to sound-”

“No, it’s fine,” Yugi sighed, shaking his head. “It makes a lot of sense. I guess I’m just… Not sure what to do now.”

Atem opened his mouth to say something when his eyes widened momentarily in surprise at something to their side. Yugi watched as the other walked forward, picking up a sheet of paper that was resting under a weight.

“I don’t remember leaving anything like this here.” He said, frowning his displeasure.

“Maybe it’s a secret admirer.” Yugi grinned jokingly. Atem shot him a playful look, but it quickly turned back to a frown as he unfolded the paper. He suddenly rolled his eyes, groaning as he held it out for Yugi.

“Would have preferred a secret admirer actually.”

“That bad?” Yugi asked as he took the sheet, reading over the note.

_Atem, meet me outside for combat._

_-Seth_

“For combat? Oh wow, you get to fight another king, how exciting.” Yugi flashed him a grin, to which Atem returned a pained expression.

“Yeah, what joy. Because the last time turned out so well. Trust my cousin to get a message like this to me in record time.” He grumbled.

“I’ve got to admit, he made that decision rather fast, from the time we left his chambers to walk here.” Yugi whistled, impressed at Seth’s level of dedication.

“He’s probably being planning this since we arrived.”

“Oh come on, I’m sure your cousin has a good reason for calling you out like this,” Yugi snickered. “You’re going to go right?”

“I’ll get my ass flayed if I don’t.”

“Excellent, I’ll come cheer you on.” Yugi said cheerily as he turned around to almost skip out the door. He hadn’t seen Atem fight in a while, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t eager to see what this fight would be like. He doubted it would be a serious to-the-death match. More of a friendly fight between cousins. A way to blow off steam, perhaps.

They found Seth in the training yard, standing in the middle of the field. His head was bowed and his eyes closed, but they opened when Yugi and Atem came close enough.

“Just us, Atem. Your friend can wait inside.” Seth called out. Yugi noticed that the king had stripped out of his robes and was wearing only a pair of pants, and tunic. The fancy jewellery was missing too, and overall he looked like an average commoner might. _So like us,_ Yugi thought, a smiling tugging on his lips at the thought.

“I see,” Atem muttered, stopping a good distance away from his cousin. He exchanged a quirked eyebrow with Yugi before turning forward again. “And just what is between us?”

“You know what I mean- don’t play dumb. The only way you’re getting out of this cousin is if you can prove yourself in a fight. Show me what you’ve learnt in the past six years.” Seth’s voice rang out across the empty field, the challenge clear.

Yugi looked over at Atem to gauge his reaction. He seemed to be weighing Seth’s words carefully, his expression thoughtful. He must have felt Yugi’s gaze on him as he turned to lock eyes with him.

“You might want to go find Mana, Yugi. This could get ugly.” Atem said in warning before he paced closer to Seth.

“Beast ugly?” Yugi asked as he began to move towards the side entrance to the palace, hovering within hearing range of Atem.

“Beast ugly.” Atem agreed, glancing back at him.

“Will you be alright? Maybe I should stick around just in case.”

“I think I’ll be fine, although your concern is touching.” Atem smiled.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Yugi scoffed before walking away. He didn’t doubt Atem would be able to hold his own against his cousin, although he had been looking forward to that fight.

* * *

 

When Yugi disappeared into the palace, Atem turned back to face his cousin.

“Alright Seth- what’s the conditions for this fight?”

“Beast on beast. You win when your opponent yields.”

“Fine.” Atem shifted into a fighting stance, his feet sliding further apart. He felt himself relax as he tapped into the power of his beast, feeling it flow through his veins as it stirred. A gentle push against his mind was all his beast gave him before it disappeared, and Atem looked down at his hands now twice their size. Sharp claws glistened up at him as he flexed them, and he noticed his red tail sprawled behind him. _No matter how many times that happens, it still doesn’t feel like anything. I’d feel a lot better if it was a painful experience, or really just anything. It’s too… Natural,_ Atem frowned at himself before dismissing the thought. He had to focus now, he couldn’t afford to let his mind go wandering.

He tilted his head to appraise his cousin, who seemed to have summoned his own beast as well. In truth, he had never gotten the chance to see his cousin use his beast powers before- it had awoken after the passing of his wife six years ago, and Atem had left the palace not soon after. And Seth hadn’t been the most comfortable person to approach during that time.

It was a white dragon, from what he had heard and could see. Seth’s hands matched Atem’s, both covered in sharp claws. He even had a tail as well, covered in shimmering white plates that looked almost blue as the light bounced off them. No doubt it was a very powerful dragon.

“A showdown of who has the best dragon, then?” Atem quipped.

“Enough talk.” Seth said, his voice taking on that slight distort Atem’s was known to have during transformations. _A side effect of dragons,_ Atem mused as Seth moved forward. He crossed his arms in front of his chest just in time to block Seth’s strike, their claws bouncing off each other with a scrapping hiss sound. Atem pushed his weigh forward, causing Seth to jump back to avoid being pulled off balance.

Atem didn’t give him time to consider another move, he jumped forward, aiming for the ground just in front of his cousin. As he was about to land, he flipped over, using the momentum to propel his tail forward towards Seth. He saw Seth’s tail come around just in time to meet Atem’s before he was forced to jump back once again, this time to avoid Atem’s rolling body.

“Not so bad, cousin.” Atem said as he rose to one knee.

“Speak for yourself, you haven’t even landed a hit yet.” Seth grumbled at him, straightening.

“Well neither have you.” Atem blinked back at him, hopping onto his feet. Seth just smirked at him before rushing forward again.

They traded blows for a while, but they were too evenly matched. Every thrust forward Seth made with his claws was met with a block by Atem, and vice versa. Neither of them was giving ground, but neither was gaining any either. They tumbled across the field, kicking up dirt and dust as they moved.

_Well, no reason to hold back now,_ Atem thought. _I might as well see how much strong I’ve become._

He forced himself to relax, allowing the barrier between his beast and his mind to lower. It was a separate thing to just simply tapping into the power- he was merging his body with the beast’s, allowing it a portion of control. It wasn’t something he enjoyed doing- it made him feel like he wasn’t controlling his limbs directly, like he was pulling the strings of a puppet instead.

He felt the gentle pressure against his mind again, but this time it stayed pushing against him as he let it stay. His mind felt sharper now, and his vision seemed to highlight the different ways Atem could approach his problem.

Seth seemed to notice a chance in his cousin, for his stance became stiffer, and his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“What are you-” He started to say.

Atem didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence, instead he rushed forward to slice at his cousin. He could see potential weaknesses a lot easier with the added power of his beast, and he felt it would be best to get Seth to yield as fast as he could. He kept his eyes on his cousin’s limbs, and not on the heart that was so painfully obvious in its weakness.

Seth tried to avoid his attacks, but Atem had sped up his movements, and was striking twice as fast now. He alternated between his fists, leaving them curled up to avoid ripping into Seth’s clothes and skin. There were a few times when his fists connected with the muscle of Seth’s arms, and a jolt would pass through him from the contact. It only served to heighten his need to end this quickly- too long with this kind of movement and his beast was likely to get too excited from the adrenaline pumping through Atem’s body.

He waited until Seth got desperate enough to launch a quick counterattack before dropping to the ground. Taking advantage of his shorter stature, Atem grabbed his cousin’s waist, using all of his muscle power to fling them both backwards.

Seth landed on his back with a surprised grunt, while Atem’s body remained arched backwards. He let go of his cousin and quickly righted himself, crouching down over Seth’s groaning form.

“Do you yield?” Atem said, a clawed hand raised to strike at Seth’s chest. Seth gave him a look that was a mixture of surprise and begrudging acceptance as he stared at the hand poised over his chest.

“Fine, yes.” He sighed, letting his head fall back down onto the dirt. Atem rose to his feet, offering his cousin a hand which he accepted over some mumbling.

“So… We’re done?” Atem asked, watching Seth as he dusted off his clothes and hair.

“You tell me Atem,” The king shrugged. “You better go see your friend now before he leaves without you.”

“What’s this? Yugi’s leaving?” Atem blinked in surprise before narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “What did you-”

“Don’t give me that look, just go.” Seth shot a glare of his own back over his shoulder.

Atem mumbled under his breath several insults before taking off into the palace, sprinting down the corridors until he was in front of the door to the king’s chambers. He wasted no time slamming it open, scrambling into the room and swinging his head around until he saw Yugi’s form on the couch.

“Oh thank god you’re still here.”

* * *

 

“Is that you thanking yourself, or some other god?” Yugi raised a teasing eyebrow as Atem dashed into the room, looking out of breath. _Well at least he looks like he’s in one piece, guess he won the fight with his cousin, then._

Atem considered his words for a moment before responding. “Both, I think. A bit of a combination.”

“Don’t expect me to start treating you as such.” Yugi warned, though his tone was easy to see through. Atem just squinted his eyes at him, his head tilted as if to say, ‘ _oh really?_ ’

“Dually noted,” Atem said, barely hiding his grin as he pretended to be interested in something on the wall. “So anyway, Seth told me you were leaving?”

“He did?” Yugi blinked, immediately feeling guilty. “Well… Yeah, I mean… Just look at this.” Yugi gave up trying to articulate himself, offering the sheet of paper he had been cradling instead.

Atem took it and looked over the page, his brows creasing the further he read. Yugi couldn’t blame him- when someone had dropped the letter by on Seth’s orders and he read it, he had been pretty upset. _It’s a good thing I don’t have my beast, otherwise I dare say I would have ripped something up. I guess I could settle for slicing something with my sword._

“…Your friend must really be obsessed with you, to demand such things,” Atem blinked before handing the sheet back. “He’s clever, I’ll give him that. Didn’t take long for him to realise where you’d gone.”

“Clever is an understatement, believe me,” Yugi sighed, slouching down into the couch. “And besides, I can’t drag your country into this ‘war’ further than it already is. This is kind of a personal problem, and it shouldn’t really involve either of our kingdoms.”

“I see. My cousin has already said his piece, has he?”

“Well not in person- he was off fighting you, remember? I can’t really blame him for not wanting to get involved though. I’d probably be doing the same in his position, wouldn’t you?”

“What, send you back so your psycho friend can lock you up?”

“He’s not psycho, he’s just... I’m not sure. Confused, I think. And alone.” Yugi frowned down at his hands.

“Hrn,” Atem crossed his arms, tapping his foot. “Of course he is. And he needs you to come knock some sense into him, right?”

“Well I at least deserve an explanation from him for what happened,” Yugi reasoned. “Then I’ll gladly knock some sense into him.”

Atem was silent for a moment, pondering Yugi’s words quietly.

“So that’s it? You’re going back, just like that?” He asked, but his voice was different. This wasn’t like the time Yugi had left in Furenall. Something had changed, but just what that was Yugi couldn’t grasp.

“You must have known this wasn’t over. Yami wouldn’t just accept defeat like that, even if by some chance he thought you had died from your wound- he wouldn’t have stopped until I had returned. Or did you think we could just hide away here forever?”

“I don’t know your friend Yugi. I can’t claim to know what he is- or was- thinking. Is it so wrong to wish I could have returned home and ignored the rest?” Atem sighed.

“Maybe,” Yugi replied, mimicking Atem’s sigh. “But in the end, it’s not you running this time- it’s me.”

“But you’re not running- you’re going to confront him.” Atem turned to him, his face a mask of confusion. Yugi had to smile at that.

“But I’m dragging you into it now. This isn’t your fight, you don’t need to feel like you have to come.”

“And what, leave you to face your crazy friend by yourself?” Atem snorted, tossing a hand through his hair as he planted his hands on his hips. “No way am I letting you go running off again without back up. This time I’m coming with you, and you can’t stop me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, with the final chapter, I can't promise you all that I'll have it done by next week- I'm busy with uni and don't have much motivation to write it right now. I'm sorry, I know that's kind of lame and it sucks having to wait for the conclusion to a story, but I honestly can't find the inspiration for it right now, regardless of the fact there isn't much left to write of it. That final push is the hardest honestly and it sucks trying to tie it off.  
> So the short answer is the last chapter will be dropped whenever I can get it done. Sometime in the next month I hope. Thanks guys!


	14. We had a Promise made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the final chapter! It's been a wild ride- thank you all for sticking with me! Hope it's worth the wait! :D  
> Huge shout out to theanimes/dog-fish for Betaing this chapter for me! My unsure ass wasn't happy with the chapter, but having someone else look it over and give you the thumbs up goes a long way asdfghjkl. And when you're finished this fic, go check out their puzzlefic Roundabout! It is GLORIOUS.  
> Chapter title is from Heartbeats by The Knife

 

“So listen Yugi, I think I may have an idea of how to help your friend…”

Yugi tilted his head up from where he was sitting to glance at Atem, watching how he tried to meet his gaze while simultaneously try to look away. He was also fidgeting with his hands nervously.

They had been on the road for a few days now after leaving the palace. Seth had decided to personally escort them to the border for some reason. Apparently he had heard somehow (Yugi had his suspicions narrowed down very easily to a certain beast wielder) about their fight with Bakura. And judging by Atem’s resolve to speed up the journey to their confrontation, Seth must have known Atem would drag them back through the west route. Hence he brought with him a travelling party, with guards to take shifts at night to avoid another encounter with the thief.

And Mana. Mana had come along too. Not that Seth had a choice- she was amazingly stubborn, Yugi had discovered over the time they had spent together.

He motioned for the other to join him sitting down, and after a moment of hesitating Atem sat next to him. “Care to elaborate?”

“I’m getting there, don’t rush me.” Atem scolded him in mock annoyance before his expression softened and he returned to nervously winding his hands. Yugi just nodded, not pointing out he had given Atem a few moments before his reply.

“Listen.” Atem started again gesturing with his hands forward, probably to give them something else to do. “I know you want to do this with your friend somehow coming back out of this like he was before, or at least alive and not so crazy-” Yugi scoffed but Atem continued. “-So I think what might get through to him is you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, I think you’re the key to his… Emotional state, shall we say? Think about it, if he really did accidentally tap into his beast when he thought you had died, seeing you back alive and well would help put him break out of that shock, right?”

“Aren’t you forgetting that I’ve already done that? I’ve already showed him I’m still alive, I spend a day back at the palace with him, but he said I’ve changed, and that… I’m not sure, I think I made him uncomfortable with how much more independent I had become.”

“Uncomfortable,” Atem snorted. “If you truly believe that, and he really did feel that way, then there’s no hope for someone so possessive, Yugi. If you can’t bring him back to a level where he doesn’t want to just brutally murder us all, you might have to…” Atem trailed off, suddenly realising what he was implying.

“I’m not going to kill my childhood friend.” Yugi stated matter-of-factly.

“And I’m not saying you should,” Atem agreed. “I’m just saying… I want to make sure you’re not going to do something reckless, alright? I’m not worried about Yami- I’m worried about _you_.”

“And I appreciate it, Atem. But I can handle myself. You saw me fight that thief in the desert and win. I’m not some glass doll that’s going to shatter if I’m handled too roughly.”

“I’m not saying you are,” Atem sighed, fidgeting with his hands again. “I’m just… Can’t I just be worried for my friend? I mean, you may be good with a sword Yugi- I’m not saying you aren’t- but you’d be going up against a God Beast. And as much as it pains me to admit, even with all my years of experience on him, Yami is still stronger than me. A beast as wild as that has no containment barrier on their power. It’s _Ra_. Even my beast Osiris falters at the mention of it. You’d be facing something that would hold nothing back against you.”

“I don’t suppose there’s a way to cut off the connection between a person and their beast, then?” Yugi asked with fake hope.

“Afraid not- none that I know of at least, and I’m sure Ishizu would have told me if she knew a way.” Atem added. _Well that settles it,_ Yugi thought. If Miss ‘I Know Everything’ didn’t have an answer, than there was a good chance there was no way to cut the connection. He would be facing all of that power full force with just the sword Ryou had given him.

_But maybe that’s all I’ll need,_ Yugi thought, staring down at his hands. Atem’s gaze was burning into his side. “I’ll think of something to do, Atem. Just trust me.”

“It’s not that I don’t, Yugi,” Atem sighed. “It’s that not having a solid plan in a situation like this could be the difference between life and death. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Hey you two!” Mana skipped up to them, flicking sand onto the tops of their shoes. “Whatcha talking about all secretly over here? Hidden feelings?” She narrowed her eyes cheekily at them, smirking as if finding gold.

“We’re trying to prepare ourselves for the battle ahead.” Atem answered her.

“Well no need to look so glum.” She giggled, tossing a hand into Atem’s hair, only to have it immediately batted away.

“Be serious please Mana. This is a big deal. One wrong move and Yugi could-” Atem’s eyes grew wide as he stopped himself.

Yugi just smiled. “It’s okay Atem. You’re right, I could die in this battle. But I’m not going to.”

“You sound so sure! Do you have some kind of secret weapon?” Mana turned to blink curiously at him.

“You could say that, I guess.” Yugi gave her a wink.

“Awesome! Man, you’re going to rock Yugi! I can’t wait to see you blow this guy away!”

“Me neither, Yugi.” Atem shot him a look. “I just hope you’re still standing afterwards.”

“You worry too much Atem. Yugi’s going to win, just look at him! Nothing can stop this guy.” Mana said, slamming a hand over Yugi’s back, causing him to wince sharply.

_I hope you’re right Mana. For all of our sakes, I really do._

* * *

 

“We’re here.” Seth was the first one to speak, announcing what was seemingly obvious.

They had returned to the fields in the far north of Atem’s kingdom- the place that marked the shift from the forest to the sands of the desert. It was just south of the border and Rinew.

Seth set down the rest of their escort, Mana included - somehow she managed to stay a few metres back, away from what was to be the main stage, Yugi guessed.

The field was barren and dusty, with tuffs of grass growing in patches before exploding off into full blown grassy fields. But the one they would be focusing on favoured the yellow dust over the lush grass. _Typical,_ Yugi couldn’t help rolling his eyes, almost making a light joke of how fitting the setting was to Atem before he noticed how nervous the other looked.

Atem was shifted from foot to foot, seemingly unable to keep still as he blew on a hand, the other supporting its twin’s elbow. He looked like his tail could sprout at any moment, giving him an extra limb to bat against something in an attempt to calm his nerves.

“Atem,” Yugi said, gaining his attention. “Calm down. It’s going to be alright. You’re not even the one fighting, remember?”

“That’s why I’m so worried.” Atem whined, shifting his hands in front of him, where he proceeded to wring and fidget with them.

“I’m worried about you, Yugi. You’re going up against a god beast and- maybe I should go instead. It’s me Yami wants to fight anyway, and this way I-”

“Atem, stop.” Yugi pulled his hands over the other’s, forcing him to stop moving them. “I’m going to be alright. I’m not about to go die on you, okay?”

“But how can you be sure? I barely touched the guy with my powers before.” Atem said softly, staring into Yugi’s eyes like the answers he needed were behind his violet depths.

“Call it a hunch,” Yugi said lamely, shrugging. Then he grinned. “But I just really believe we’re all going to make it out of this. We’ve come too far for my childhood friend to strike me down in a battle and then kill my other good friend.”

“Well it doesn’t sound nice when you put it that way.” Atem made a strangled sound in his throat, looking away.

“You know what I meant,” Yugi said, reaching forward to flick Atem’s forehead before pulling back. “Just let me handle this one, Atem. Let _me_ protect _you_.” He turned around before Atem had a chance to respond, aware that the other was watching his every move.

* * *

 

A lone figure was waiting on the field, a sword thrusted into the ground in front of them. As Yugi and the others came closer to them, they picked the sword up out of the ground and started to meet them.

“Yami.” Yugi nodded, stepping forward more to force Yami to stop walking, effectively keeping him further away from Atem and Seth.

“Yugi.” Came Yami’s clipped reply, his eyes boring into Yugi’s, strong emotions swirling in their depths. “I see you brought your collection of playmates with you. Osiris can’t handle a one on one fight?”

“So I can watch you and Atem try to kill each other? I don’t think so. You’re not fighting Atem here, Yami.”

Yami’s lips twitched at that, but then he smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Wait, you are not seriously considering fighting me, are you? You can’t be serious Yugi. You couldn’t even beat me a few weeks ago.”

“Do you see me laughing, Yami?” Yugi said, watching as Yami’s smirk disappeared at the tone.

“Very well then. It matters not to me- you’ll all perish for standing against me. Osiris will get his turn soon enough.” Yami grunted, twisting the sword in his hand as he waited.

“Stand back, Atem, Seth. You guys can’t interfere.” Yugi said softly, staring into Atem’s worried crimson.

“Fight well, sword wielder. A beast alone does not always win a fight.” Seth said gruffly, nodding his encouragement to Yugi before dragging his cousin by the arm backwards.

“If he tries anything funny, I’m not going to hesitate to go full beast mode and kill him.” Atem warned, struggling for a moment to stay close before he resigned and let Seth lead him away.

Yugi waited until they were far enough away before he turned back to Yami, grabbing his sword by his side and gripping it tightly.

It would be up to him now. This was _his_ fight. He needed to do this- not Seth, not Atem, not anyone. He had to do this for himself, and for Yami.

Yugi slid his sword out of his sheathe, throwing it away before moving forward to stand facing Yami.

“You once told me that, spending time honing our skills until the day our beast came would make us stronger later in life,” Yugi paused, watching the way Yami stilled with his words. “What happened to that resolve?”

“You wouldn’t know, Yugi. You don’t have one.” Yami said, eyes narrowed to slits. He had a sword poised and ready to strike in his hand, and Yugi could tell he wouldn’t hesitate to use it. _Even against me… I’m not the only one who has changed, I see._

“You’re right- I don’t. But I have something far more powerful.”

“Nothing is stronger than a god beast.”

“You’re wrong there Yami- there is something.”

Yami scoffed at him, a cold smirk gracing his face. “Humour me then Yugi. What would that be?”

“A friend.”

“A _friend?_ Are you _serious?_ ” Yami’s jaw dropped in his disbelief.

“I’m your friend too, Yami. If you would just let me in to help you we could-”

“Enough,” Yami snarled, his expression picking back up into one of anger. “I came here for a fight, and if Osiris’s wielder is going to hide behind you then so be it. I’ll cut you down first before I take him down.”

“Are you truly so far gone you would not even think twice about killing me?” Yugi said softly, staring down at his sword. He tilted it so that Yami’s reflection showed against the steel, the frown glancing back up at him.

“You’re in my way, and you chose to stand against me. You have made your decision, and I have made mine.”

Yugi sighed, flicking the sword back down and lifting his head to face Yami again. “It’s a choice, and choices can change, Yami. Change isn’t something you should fear. It’s all right for us to change. Sometimes it’s for the better. Sometimes we need to become stronger- and not just in the sense of physical power. Can’t you see how corrupt this power is making you? You used to preach against this kind of behaviour, and yet now you’ve fallen into that vacuum of power as well. Don’t you want to be free of it?”

“I came here to fight, Yugi,” Yami snapped, his eyes narrowing dangerously as the red began to seep out of his irises. “I suggest you ready that sword and shut your mouth, otherwise it won’t be moving for much longer.” He then spread his legs out, his own sword raising into a fighting position as it began to glow softly with a golden light.

With Yami’s beast powers activated, it was now serious. They would fight. Yugi had tried his hardest to talk the other out of it, to make Yami see a more reasonable way. But it seemed the other was too far gone right now to listen to reason. Yugi was going to have to beat him in this fight to get him to listen to his words.

_The only problem is,_ Yugi thought, biting his lip as he spread his own feet and raised his sword. _I have to actually beat him. Let’s hope the other gods who aren’t trying to kill me right now can help me with this one._

Without further warning, Yami charged.

His movement was fast, even more so than before when he was sparring with Yugi, no doubt fed in through his beast. The sword came up to meet Yugi in one flawless swing, and had Yugi not ducked his head right then and there, the fight would have been over immediately.

Yami was quick on his feet, giving Yugi seemingly no time to plan a counterattack as he swerved around and directed attacks back at Yugi seconds after the previous ones. Yugi supposed it was how a true professional was like on the field of battle- graceful and yet deadly.

Their swords clashed, both pieces of metal ringing out as a vibration shot up Yugi’s arm. He grasped the handle tighter, gritting his teeth to ride out the shock. He had little time to react to this however as Yami began to twirl his sword, still connected to Yugi’s. The pressure began to tighten and push Yugi back, forcing him to bring his sword up closer to his body to keep Yami’s from breaking away to plunge into him.

“Can’t handle the pressure of a real sword fight, Yugi?” Yami taunted him, his voice taking on a more gruff and scratchy tone as his eyes flashed with their bleeding red.

Yugi just grunted in response, trying to push back on the blade, desperate to kill him. _Shit, I can’t hold this off much longer- Yami’s got more physical strength than me._ Yugi’s mind was working frantically to give him a way out of this situation. _There!_

Yugi took a deep breath before ducking down, his sword falling with him as he swerved around Yami’s blade, his body forming an L-shape as he jerked underneath the weapon. Yami’s blade continued on to where Yugi had just been standing before Yami could control the momentum enough to spin around and face Yugi again.

“Well played,” Yami said, narrowing his blood eyes as Yugi shuffled back into a standing position, his sword at the ready once again. “But it won’t be enough to save you.”

“It might be enough to save you, though.” Yugi said, watching the way Yami seemed taken aback by his comment.

“Enough talk, I-”

“Why are you so scared of me talking, Yami?” Yugi shot back, cutting him off. “Are you afraid that you won’t be able to defeat my words, so you’d prefer to just cut me down before I get the chance? Are you scared of what I have to say? That deep down inside you know I’m right? That’s why you’re doing this, isn’t it? You can’t deal with the fact that in this fight _you’re_ the villain, not Atem.”

Yami’s eyes widened for a split second before they narrowed dangerously, mere slits of red. He lunged forward, slicing upwards with his blade before spinning around to come at Yugi again.

Yugi barely had time to dodge away from the arcs as the sword danced treacherously around him, each swing coming from a new angle and keeping Yugi on his toes to avoid them. _Looks like I just made him mad,_ Yugi cringed as a swipe came within centimetres of his face, the steel reflecting back his shocked expression and untamed mess of hair for a split second before the sword swept away, only to return moments later.

He could tell what Yami was doing- attack in quick succession so as not to allow him any chance to counterattack nor talk, having to concentrate on parrying and defending alone. Yugi could barely raise his sword in time to block some of the attacks, Yami’s blade swinging so fast it was a blur of shining metal.

He tried to get the upper hand back, searching for a way to get on the offensive. Yami was clever- not leaving him any openings to strike back with.

He ducked low to the ground to avoid a chest swing, and, sensing an opportunity, he grabbed a fistful of dirt with his other hand and threw it into Yami’s eyes.

“Argh! You little-” Yami snarled, rapidly taking steps back to claw at his eyes.

“You’re just like him, you know. Just like Atem.” Yugi said, trying to spark up a flame with Yami’s emotions.

Yami jerked his head up, sneering at Yugi from behind slitted eyes. “I am _nothing_ like your travelling companion. I can assure you of that.”

“And I can assure you you’re not going to win this fight, Yami.” Yugi twirled his sword around, as if to emphasis his strength. “You’re too corrupt. That power is going straight to your head. Just like you promised me it wouldn’t.” He frowned disapprovingly.

Yami scoffed, but Yugi ignored him to continue speaking. “You are both headstrong, and think you can just dictate other people’s lives. It doesn’t work like that, Yami. You have to give as much as you take.”

“I don’t need a lecture.”

“I think you do.”

“Then wouldn’t that mean you are trying to do the very thing you just told me _not_ to do?” Yami countered, thrusting his sword forward, golden dust floating around it.

Yugi stepped to the side, sliding Yami’s blade off his own. “In a way, yes, I am. But take a second to look at yourself, Yami. Look what your beast is doing to you.”

Yami paused- hesitated. Yugi’s words seemed to finally be having an effect on him. He glanced between his sword and Yugi.

“My beast is a god. It has powers no one can comprehend.”

“Power isn’t everything.”

“Power is _everything_ , Yugi. Why can you not understand this?” Yami said. Something in his voice made Yugi pause. _Was that… exhaustion he heard there?_ It was the first piece of emotion besides anger he had heard in the other’s voice. Yugi was beginning to think that Yami was more tired and stressed than he was letting on. _As horrible as it sounds, this could work in my favour,_ Yugi thought, looking Yami’s stance over. _If he’s tired, he’s more likely to make mistakes, and maybe even listen to my words._

“I understand that power gives you the opportunity to act on your choices. But you need to believe in those choices, with or without that power. It’s not everything.”

“Even so, without power, you are unable to act. The act of believing will get you nowhere without the power to back it up.”

Yugi gave him a rueful smile. “But believing is everything. Otherwise you can’t fight for what you believe is right. You lose your better judgement.”

Yami charged forward, but something was off. He was distracted, and his movements were slow. Yugi easily dodged the attack, stepping to the side as Yami swung harmlessly at the air. Yugi reached forward with his sword hand to bat his sword against Yami’s, throwing the other further forward as he stumbled to keep his grip.

“I believe I have the power to kill you if I want to.” Yami snarled, narrowing his eyes as he turned to face Yugi again.

“Do you, Yami? Do you really want to kill me? Have I wronged you so badly?”

Yami’s eyes flickered, and for a moment Yugi could see the whites of his eyes again. He raised his sword, as if to strike at Yugi, but then lowered it immediately, the tip scraping across the ground. The magic dust surrounding it disappeared, the golden sparks vanishing.

“No, I…” His face scrunched up, his eyes darting across the dirt like it held the answers he was searching for. “I don’t…”

“You don’t know what you want, do you?” Yugi asked softly. Yami’s eyes grew wide for a moment before he shut them with a pained expression.

“I never asked for this, alright?!” Yami shot back, his eyes snapping open suddenly. “Do you think having this overwhelming pressure pushing down on me all the time is enjoyable? You think I’m _enjoying_ this?!”

Yami’s hand clasped repeatedly, his grip on his sword visibly tightening. His eyes were dilating, and Yugi could see the struggle going on behind them as the pupils threatened to spill out again.

“I-I…” He stuttered, throwing a helpless look at Yugi. “I can’t _stop_ it. I don’t have control, Yugi.”

Yugi sent him a smile. “You don’t need to be in control all the time, Yami. Sometimes it’s good to be able to lean on a friend for support.” He held out his other hand, lowering his sword. “We’ll get through this.”

Yami’s eyes flickered at the movement. He took a step back, wavered, then stepped forward. His hand grew lax and the sword fell through his opened fingers to clang on the ground harmlessly. The red of his eyes receded further back into the pupils, and suddenly he looked like the same old Yami from before. Yugi felt his heart leap to his throat at the sight of his friend. _We’ve changed so much, both of us,_ he thought sadly.

Yami groaned, shaking his head roughly, a hand shooting up to his forehead. His eyes darted to Yugi’s, filled with pain. He raised a shaky hand towards Yugi, reaching for Yugi’s outstretched hand-

And then he was falling, his fingers barely grazing Yugi’s as he toppled down. Yugi wasted no time dropping his sword to sweep forward, looping his hands around Yami’s waist as they both crashed into the dirt. Yugi winced as his knees hit the ground first.

“I-I’m sorry.” Yami’s voice pulled him back. Yugi looked down to see his friend shaking, his hands faltering as they tried to reach Yugi’s. He sounded so broken, so lost. And it crushed Yugi. Someone he had looked up to all his life, his friend who had never lost his grip on a situation, had always been in control, now seemed like he needed help more than ever. And Yugi was willing to do anything to give him that help, his resolve burning fiercely inside him.

“I’m going to help you get through this Yami. I promise. I won’t leave you.” Yugi said, staring into the other’s eyes, trying to project all of his feelings.

“T-This isn’t how I w-wanted things to go.” Yami said. He was trying desperately to keep his voice even, Yugi could tell. But he was slipping, just like his feet as he tried to find the strength to stand on his own. He stared up at Yugi, his eyes searching Yugi’s for reassurance.

“We’re going to be alright, Yami. Just trust me.” Yugi gave him a smile, watching as Yami seemed to ease a fraction. “Everyone will help out, and Atem can help you get back in control of your beast.”

“A-Atem? Who is…” Yami tilted his head. He weakly glanced around, but seemed unable to notice Seth and Atem’s presence in the distance. Yugi raised a hand, signalling them to keep their distance for now. He could tell from the way Atem shifted his stance that the other wasn’t happy with waiting, but Yugi wanted to make sure Yami was alright first.

“He’s a friend.” Yugi answered, looping one of Yami’s arms around his shoulders, pulling them up into a standing position. “You essentially stabbed him in the chest when you met, if you remember.”

“I did?” Yami blinked, his eyes glazing over. “I don’t remember…” He trailed off, muttering incoherently under his breath.

Yugi just smiled, taking steps towards Atem while he practically dragged Yami along with him. By the time they had reached Seth and Atem, Yami had passed out.

“So what will happen now? Yami isn’t fit to rule, and your kingdom won’t have a king anymore. Things could get dirty between our countries without a proper leader.” Seth pointed out, his arms crossed as he looked at Yami down his nose in disapproval.

“I…haven’t thought of that yet.” Yugi bit his lip, lowering Yami down onto the ground carefully. He had been so focused on rescuing Yami from himself that he hadn’t stopped to consider that his friend wouldn’t be able to continue ruling the kingdom. _And it’s not like I know anyone else that could do it, unless Seth would be willing to become king of his long time enemy kingdom_. Yugi mentally groaned. He hadn’t been expecting to run into this kind of situation.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to figure something out.” Atem spoke up, earning both of their attention. He was staring at his cousin, some unspoken message passing between the two. Seth just grunted, turning around and walking back to where Mana was bouncing around excitedly. Yugi turned back to Atem and realised that they were essentially alone now.

“Say what you want about Seth, but he knows when to give others their space.” Atem said, amused.

“He’s right though,” Yugi sighed, a hand reaching up to grab strands of his hair in frustration. “What am I going to do, now that Yami can’t rule anymore? Even if he ever reaches the stage of being fit for the throne, he’s going to need an awful long time to get used to his beast powers so he doesn’t lose control like that again.”

Atem gazed at him softly for a moment before replying. “Well you know, I always said you’d make a great king.”

Yugi stared at him in shocked surprise, huffing. “Me? You’re kidding, right? I don’t know the first thing about ruling a country!”

“We both know that’s wrong, Yugi. You know plenty of things that would make you eligible for the throne. I'm sure you’d be able to lead the kingdom well.” Atem smiled at him, and it must have been infectious for Yugi felt a smile creep up his face as well.

“It’s all that knowledge about grain and wagon sales, isn’t it?” He joked, unable to stop a nervous laugh escaping.

“Something like that. You sure you don’t want to take over my kingdom too?”

“I think your people have been without their ruler long enough, don’t you? We have the chance for peace now. Let’s not screw it up.” Yugi said softly, looking down at his hands. “I can’t make any long-term promises, but at least for now I’ll help out with the throne duties. I can act out under pretend orders from Yami, so we don’t cause a rift between the people with another change of king. At least until I can help get Yami back on his feet.”

“You’ll do great- I can tell.” Atem laughed.

Yugi wished he could return the expression, but a lump was starting to form in his throat. He knew what this would mean.

“It would seem we have to split up again.” Atem said almost ruefully, echoing the thoughts Yugi didn’t want to voice.

“It does.” He sighed.

“And I can’t chase after you this time.” Atem added sadly.

“Can’t come running to my rescue, huh?”

“Ha, you don’t need me- you’re the real hero here, Yugi. We both know that.” Atem said, and Yugi turned to look at him fully. His expression was sad, but understanding.

“Hey, you know, you kept your promise, too.” He said suddenly, confusing Yugi.

“What promise?” Yugi tilted his head, wracking his brain for what Atem was talking about.

“The promise we made when we first met. You said you would try to forge a treaty between our kingdoms,” Atem paused, smiling off into the distance. “I’d say you did more than that in the end.”

“You know, with everything happening so fast, I almost forgot about that.” Yugi admitted.

“Now, roll your eyes as much as you want, but I’d like to make a new promise if I could.”

Yugi laughed, shaking his head instead. “Seriously Atem? What could you possibly want?”

“I want to see you again,” He muttered, a smile tugging on his lips. “In a year’s time. We can hold a summit meeting between our lands, and we can trade all kinds of crazy stories and progress from each kingdom. I can tell you all about what Mana is getting up to, and all the ‘back when I was king’ stories Seth is sure to tell when he makes me take over.”

“I’m afraid I might not have any fun stories to exchange,” Yugi smiled sadly. “The only person I’ve ever gotten to know in the palace back home was Yami, and aside from my sudden kingly duties he’s going to need my help and attention to deal with his problem.”

“He’s lucky, having a friend like you.” Atem nodded.

“Well he’s not the only lucky one you know.”

“Oh? Who else is?”

“You, you idiot.” Yugi laughed, punching Atem lightly in the arm.

“Ow hey! That hurt.” Atem grumbled, rubbing the spot Yugi had hit.

“I didn’t even hit you that hard,” Yugi teased. “And besides, the ‘Great Wielder of Osiris’ surely wouldn’t feel pain from that, would he?”

“I’m still human,” Atem gave a huff, but the smile on his face gave away how he truly felt. “And besides, no matter what my beast is, I’m still just Atem. Besides, you’re the one who beat the Winged Dragon. I’d say that’s a pretty good achievement if you ask me.”

“That doesn’t matter to me though. What matters is that I was able to help save Yami. I wasn’t willing to let him go.”

“It’s like I said- he’s a lucky guy.”

“Yeah…” Yugi trailed off, rubbing his arm absently. He shifted his weight between his feet.

“This feels weird.” He admitted out loud.

“Well it’s only really weird if you point it out.” Atem laughed awkwardly.

“Okay, fair point… So...” Yugi held out a hand, waiting until Atem placed his palm over it. “I’ll see you in a year?”

Atem smiled, giving Yugi’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s a promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all for The Beast Within! Thank you so much for reading this story! Please let me know what you think!  
> A big thank you to empressofthelight and Tarashima for continuing to motivate my sorry ass for this last chapter. I was not in the best place with my writing, and their supportive comments really meant the world, and is the reason you've now got this chapter today.   
> Thanks everyone! And maybe I'll see some of you again over on Prince and King! Chapter five is coming out soon for that >uo


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